My Wife's Relations (1922)

By accident, Buster and an intimidating woman end up married.

Director:

Buster Keaton

Writer:

Buster Keaton

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Monte Collins, Wheezer Dell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	The Husband

Storyline

When a large Irish woman falsely accuses Buster of breaking a window he is hauled before a Polish judge who speaks no English and assumes they are there to be married. She takes her new husband home to meet her four gorilla-like brothers.

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Plot Keywords:

written and directed by cast member

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Genres:

Short | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1922 (USA)

Also Known As:

A nejem pereputtya

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 22 min (2005 DVD release)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987)

User Reviews

A few good jokes keep this one afloat.

Not one of Keaton's best efforts, this was perhaps a veiled attempt to revenge himself on the family he married into - the Talmadges. A Polish/English language barrier and a series of coincidences leads Buster into a marriage with a large Irish woman, who (along with her father and brothers) treat him shabbily until they think he may be an heir to a fortune. Mistaken identities abound here - gags are set up and but for the main fail to pay off.

This Metro short does have at least two real laughs - Buster's cleverly turning around his lack of dinner by using the calendar on the wall and the basic ignorance of his adopted family to literally bring the meat to his plate. The other is a family photo, with the entire group slowly collapsing to the floor as the tripod of the camera loses its stability.

The yeast beer overflow could have been the catalyst for a massive series of gags built upon gags, but stops short (for all the buildup) of development.

Kino's print is crisp and clear and the score is one for player piano, drums and sound effects. Not one of Buster's best efforts, but worth a few laughs.