Coney Island (1917)

Writers:

Release Date:

29 October 1917 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy

Plot:

Roscoe tries to dump his wife so he can enjoy the beach attractions. Buster arrives with Alice who is...

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Keystone Kops | Female Impersonation | Romantic Rivalry | Police

Cast

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

...

Fatty

Also Known As:

Fatty at Coney Island

Runtime:

25 min (2005 alternate version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Comique Film Company

Trivia:

One of the few films where Buster Keaton does not use his "Great Stoneface" persona.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The first title screen wrongly identifies Coney Island's Luna Park as 'Luma Park'. At 00:03:52 the entrance to Luna Park is clearly seen.

Quotes:

Fatty's wife: Who is that fat lady?
Rival: He ain't a lady, she's a man!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Great Stone Face (1968)

Fatty's Masterpiece

Coney Island (1917)

**** (out of 4)

Fatty Arbuckle travels to Coney Island where he competes with Buster Keaton for the heart of a girl, which leads to havoc. This is a wonderfully funny short that allowed Keaton to show off his grace as a physical comedian. The ice cream, fish fighting and waterslide gags are certainly the best. The laughs fizzle out towards the end but this is still hilarious.

You can view this short on The Forgotten Films of Fatty Arbuckle set, which features four discs worth of shorts as well as some nice extras. Remastered prints and new scores make this collection of films a must have.