Silent film legends Buster Keaton was already almost 70 and close to death when he appeared in this 17-minute Alen Schneider black-and-white short film from exactly 50 years ago. The script was by Samual Beckett, another pretty well-known name, but unfortunately the outcome was not as great as I had hoped. It's a silent film again and it's very experimental. Apart from the last 90 seconds or so, we basically see Keaton sitting in a rocking chair without seeing his face,, just his trademark hat tells everybody that it is probably him. I think without the inclusion of Keaton this would have been really boring and probably not a famous short film at all as the story is really forgettable and it's just the presence of Stoneface that really elevates the weak material here. Still, all in all, a mediocre work at best. Not recommended.

It was really somewhat unique in the history of film comedy. I can only think of one near miss on a similar level, and in that case the artist involved had made movies.

Samuel Becket, dramatist, novelist, secretary to James Joyce, and Nobel Literary Lauriate, loved comedy. His first and greatest play, WAITING FOR GODOT has a pair of hobos (Vladimir and Estragon) who in the course of the play frequently do music hall turns reminiscent of Laurel & Hardy among others. Others have situations that are certainly odd in a striking and comic manner (like one woman who is half buried in sand throughout a one act play). In the hands of a lesser writer these oddities would vaguely amuse, but Becket structured his comic turns and sight gags to have a value in the themes of his plays, so that gradually (even as we are amused) we are fascinated and learn of aspects of the human race we frequently bury or try to ignore. "Shall we go?", one of the two hobos says to the other as WAITING FOR GODOT ends. Godot (God? The Wonderful Future? The Messiah?) is not coming as they hope. "Yes," says the other hobo, "Let's go!". They stand perfectly still as the curtain goes down - and that conclusion makes perfect sense to the audience.

When he wrote WAITING FOR GODOT, Becket offered it to Buster Keaton. Keaton's career had revived, especially after his duet with Charlie Chaplin in LIMELIGHT. But Keaton was uncertain about doing it, so it was done by Bert Lahr instead. But Becket always admired Keaton, and in 1965 offered him what was tantamount to a solo appearance(there are only three other actors in the film, very briefly). It is Buster's only philosophical movie.

Can we escape any form of examination of our activities? Keaton's character is shown for 95% of the film from the back or side (towards the end something of the "Great Stone Face" is shown but still from the nape of the neck). He is constantly running from view. He knocks down a clergyman and a woman, but both when watching him see something else that horrifies them. So does an elderly flower seller in Keaton's rooming house (who faints when she sees the unseen presence). Keaton enters his room and slowly does everything to remove any watchful eyes from staring at him. This includes pets he has, and even a picture of a sculpture head (interestingly of a Sumarian or Babylonian figure with wide eyes - these statues were usually meant to represent pious priests). When certain that he is unobserved Keaton looks at some photographs he got, and only then (for the first time) we see a picture of Keaton facing us - and with an eye patch). After getting rid of the photos Keaton apparently falls asleep, but then...he faces the ultimate intensive critic looking him over - and his final scene shows a tragic resignation that even death won't avoid.

It's philosophical beat makes it unique among Keaton's silent movies. It remains a nice final highpoint towards the end of his career - and one that fellow silent comics Chaplin and Lloyd did not quite match (although Chaplin's social comments, and Lloyd's spin on the success ethic are close to it in other areas of thought).

The only other time a similar arrangement appears to have been tried was when Salvador Dali offered a surrealistic comedy script to the Marx Brothers, and sent Harpo a specially designed harp. The script was never seriously considered by the Brothers (although Dali had been involved in surrealistic films in the 1920s and 1930s, and would work with Alfred Hitchcock on SPELLBOUND). Except for that one attempt no other major 20th Century artist appears to have approached any of the major film clowns to collaborate on any work.

NOT being familiar with the literary work of Samuel Beckett, we confess to be at a great disadvantage at viewing this with the intent of writing down some half way intelligent and intelligible impressions of what transpired in the roughly 20 minutes of silent screen. Well, we gonna give it the old "College Try" anyway!

WE recently read that Mr. Beckett (1906-89) was a Poet and Author of Novels and Plays. He was a member of what is called the "Minimalist Movement" in his poetry; a term which certainly sounds to have a high degree of self explanatory meaning contained within its name. Ergo, to a half-educated slug like meself, minimal = less; sort of like "less is more!" Some of the Poetry of Samuel Beckett that we saw would certainly bear this out.

SO it is with this, his one and only film, we have a short which is devoid of all that it can be; while still allowing for some semblance of a "story" to follow. Characters have no labels, no names, virtually no interaction; save for some unintentional bumping into a lady and a Roman Collared Clergyman outside the building as well as a bouquet bearing elderly Lady inside the hallway of the multi apartment slum complex.

SO, do you really want to hear our got out of all this? Ready or not, here it goes…….

WE think that the film FILM is a metaphor for Life Itself. The main character (Played by Mr. Buster Keaton) begins the story in extreme close up shot, his one "good" eye blinking and seemingly welcoming the light of the new day. His journey seems desperate in getting to his run down, nearly vacant flat; where he seeks absolute privacy from any prying eyes. This includes any eyes of a wall illustration and those of a pup, a kitten, a parrot and a gold fish.

ON his way over his "lone journey" is interrupted briefly when he collides what looks an awful lot like a Funeral Rite, being performed by that previously mentioned Clergyman and the one Lady Mourner being set in a sort of field of garbage. The twosome at this garbage funeral service seems very annoyed, yet surprised at the sudden appearance and unconcerned attitude of Keaton.

AFTER some 2 reels of such non-sequitor happenings, we are led back to the same old close up shot of Buster's eye; not opening this time, but closing, shutting down-if you please. The Credits follow; indeed the very first credits of FILM; for there were no opening titles nor any credits offered, as is customary in most films.

AS for Our Theory about this film FILM; we offer the following, for what it's worth.

KEATON is everyman. His mission is to get through what is truly an all too short a Life on Planet Earth. Mr. Becket is trying to tell us that there isn't much which really means anything during our brief stay on good old Terra Firma. All that is man-made can only get in our way; including Organized Religion and well meaning neighbors. What life we truly lead is private and for ourselves only; with prying eyes and inquisitive minds of others being strictly alien to our own souls. Yes, it begins with the eye blinking and ends with the same eye blinking.

IT'S sort of like what has been said about people. "You come into this World with Nothing and Leave the Same Way!" (Or, "Remember Oh Man From Dust Thou Came And To Dust Thou Shall Return!")

THEN again, on the other hand, we may be all wet with this or any other attempt at explanation or theory.

WE were also put to mind of a story about 20th Century Master Artist Pablo Picasso. The story goes that Senor Picasso received a letter from a would be "Patron" and "Collector" of Fine Paintings. In it was enclosed a check for a tidy little sum, let's say for the sake of argument that it was $5,000.00. The letter bore instructions for Pablo to return a Picasso Original to the sender; a painting that would be worth the 5 Grand.

SO, Picasso proceeded to draw a stick-man figure on the back of the check, then to sign the "work", he endorsed the check and deposited it in his banking account. The man received his Picasso Original when his canceled check was returned to him.

WE can only wonder if this FILM business was some sort of practical joke played by the great, Irishman on a World which tends toward the bestowing near Deification on such Artistic and Literary Giants.

WHATTA you think, Schultz?

POODLE SCHNITZ!!