Sherlock Jr. (1924)

Director:

Buster Keaton

Writers:

Jean C. Havez (story) &
Joseph A. Mitchell (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 April 1924 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Plot:

A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.

Plot Keywords:

Projectionist | Amateur Detective | Slapstick Comedy | Chase | Jungle

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Buster Keaton	...	Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
Kathryn McGuire	...	The Girl
Joe Keaton	...	The Girl's Father / Man on film screen
Erwin Connelly	...	The Hired Man / The Butler
Ward Crane	...	The Local Sheik / The Villain
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Connelly	...	The Mother (uncredited)
George Davis	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Doris Deane	...	Girl Who Loses Dollar Outside Cinema (uncredited)
Betsy Ann Hisle	...	Little Girl (uncredited)
Ruth Holly	...	Candy Store Woman (uncredited)
Kewpie Morgan	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Steve Murphy	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
John Patrick	...	Conspirator (uncredited)
Ford West	...	Theatre Manager / Gillette (uncredited)

Directed by
Buster Keaton

Writing credits
Jean C. Havez		(story) (as Jean Havez) &
Joseph A. Mitchell		(story) (as Joe Mitchell) and
Clyde Bruckman		(story)

Produced by
Buster Keaton	....	producer (uncredited)
Joseph M. Schenck	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Club Foot Orchestra		(1999 alternate version)
Myles Boisen		(music: Club Foot Orchestra) (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Sheldon Brown		(music: Club Foot Orchestra) (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Beth Custer		(music: Club Foot Orchestra) (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Steve Kirk		(music: Club Foot Orchestra) (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Nik Phelps		(music: Club Foot Orchestra) (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Byron Houck		(photography)
Elgin Lessley		(photography)

Film Editing by
Roy B. Yokelson		(edited by) (1995 alternate version)
Buster Keaton		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Fred Gabourie

Costume Design by
Clare West		(uncredited)

Art Department
Ernie Orsatti	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Stunts
Ernie Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Denver Harmon	....	electrician

Music Department
Michael Bank	....	music researcher (1995 alternate version)
Vince Giordano	....	musical director (1995 alternate version)
Bruce Goldstein	....	music producer (1995 alternate version)
Abigail Kende	....	musical clearances (1995 alternate version)
David Kirsch	....	assistant engineer (1995 alternate version)
Jim McNamara	....	assistant engineer (1995 alternate version)
Club Foot Orchestra	....	music performer (1999 alternate version)
Jeff Radke	....	music researcher (1995 alternate version)
David Robbins	....	assistant engineer (1995 alternate version)
Vince Giordano and His Nighthawks Orchestra	....	music performer (1995 alternate version) (as Vince Giordino & His Nighthawks Orchestra)
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music co-producer (1995 alternate version)
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music mixer (1995 alternate version)
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recordist (1995 alternate version)
Myles Boisen	....	musician: double neck bass and guitar in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Sheldon Brown	....	musician: saxophone, clarinet, flute and harmonica in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Matthew Brubeck	....	musician: cello in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Catherine Clune	....	musician: violin in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Beth Custer	....	musician: clarinets in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Chris Grady	....	musician: trumpet in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Eliot Kavee	....	musician: drums, percussion and cello in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Steve Kirk	....	musician: guitar in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Richard Marriott	....	musician: trombone, trumpet, flute and keyboards in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)
Nik Phelps	....	musician: woodwinds and brass in Club Foot Orchestra (1999 alternate version) (uncredited)

Other crew
Jonathan D. Reichman	....	counsel: Nighthawks (1995 alternate version) (as Jonathan Reichman)
Joseph M. Schenck	....	presenter
Fred Gabourie	....	technical director (uncredited)

Thanks
Caroline Frick	....	acknowledgement: for AMC (1995 alternate version)

Production Companies

• Buster Keaton Productions

Distributors

• Metro Pictures Corporation (1924) (USA) (theatrical) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Aktiebolaget Royal Film Osakeyhtiö (1925) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Le Mats Filmbyrå (1924) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Kino Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1972) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Antland Productions  music co-produced by (1995 alternate version)
• Douris Corporation, The  film material licensed from (1995 alternate version)
• Film Preservation Associates  film material licensed from (1995 alternate version)
• Kampo Cultural Center  recorded at (as Kampo Cultural Center, New York) (1995 alternate version)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

45 min | USA:49 min (1924)

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:Unrated | UK:U | Portugal:M/6 | Finland:S | Spain:T | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Larchmont Blvd. near Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Buster Keaton Productions

Trivia:

Included among the '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die', edited by Steven Jay Schneider.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Sherlock Jr spins the fence around placing his pursuers behind it, he puts a crossbar across the gate to stop them coming back. In the next shot as he leaves the alley, the crossbar is no longer visible on the fence.

Quotes:

Projectionist:[as Sherlock Jr., riding on the handlebars of a motorcycle, unaware the driver fell off] Be careful or one of us will get hurt.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of Film: An Odyssey: Episode #1.2" (2011)

Intensely Poetic and Creative

Though a lot of older films tend to be neglected, Sherlock Jr. definitely isn't a film that could be called obscure. I imagine most people at least know OF this movie with its famous movie-in-a-movie surrealist scene.

Still, having previously heard over and over again about the brilliance of this film, I never really understood until I saw it myself. It's not just the dream-story and the surreality, it's what Keaton does with it and the importance he places on cinema. This film is even rather unique in using montage in a new way, or showing how much film appeals to the imagination as much as an artistic endeavor.

Thus, this film itself becomes both wildly imaginative and brilliantly artistic... and best of all, it's FUNNY! Thus, it becomes a film for everyone. There's no hard-found artistic conceit that leads to cries of "Pretentious!", but still people can say "It's amazing." There's no comedic conceit that says, "Bah, just simple slapstick, it's low-culture!" because it's rather intelligently done. And it's creative in a way that isn't like an opium-dream. It can appeal to anybody of all ages. It's one very well-done film.

--PolarisDiB