No pun intended and a german saying I just translated word for word - more or less. Also first things first: I have not read or seen any other work than this one. And I say this, because if you have read or seen anything that this is based on - you may feel differently about the movie and how it adapted it.
That all aside, this is early Buster Keaton - and because it is rather ... well slow paced, you may think it is a drama and not a comedy which the work this is based on actually is. I wouldn't have known that, if I didn't have the Criterion Collection which made it clear to me. But even if I hadn't seen some background stuff to the movie: I would have considered this a comedy - not just because of Buster Keaton.
He may "just" be an actor - but he has his work cut out for him. There are some fun and fine moments here ... but nothing that will get you too excited about. The movie builds up to a ... well "joke" for the end ... but is it worth it? Well that is up to you. A movie that is over a hundred years old ... and has not aged in the best way ... I doubt this will stay in many peoples mind ... but since it has Buster Keaton in it ... it will never be forgotten either ...
That all aside, this is early Buster Keaton - and because it is rather ... well slow paced, you may think it is a drama and not a comedy which the work this is based on actually is. I wouldn't have known that, if I didn't have the Criterion Collection which made it clear to me. But even if I hadn't seen some background stuff to the movie: I would have considered this a comedy - not just because of Buster Keaton.
He may "just" be an actor - but he has his work cut out for him. There are some fun and fine moments here ... but nothing that will get you too excited about. The movie builds up to a ... well "joke" for the end ... but is it worth it? Well that is up to you. A movie that is over a hundred years old ... and has not aged in the best way ... I doubt this will stay in many peoples mind ... but since it has Buster Keaton in it ... it will never be forgotten either ...