It is well known, in fact common knowledge among film enthusiasts that Buster Keaton made some of the best and funniest short comedies of the silent era with his own production unit, but it is gained little attention that the comedian starred in two series of short comedies after the talkies had taken control, first for Educational in 1935-37 and a few years later for Columbia. This is hardly surprising, as these chapters in his career are widely treated as little more than footnotes to illustrate the tragic fate of a master comedian who lost his creative freedom. However, the debate as to which of the two series, Educational or Columbia, that provided Buster in the best light continues to this day among silent comedy-fans, and to me, HAYSEED ROMANCE is strong enough to put my preference for the Educationals beyond any doubt.
The story of this two-reeler is as typical as one should expect from almost any short comedy of the 1930's; Buster, named Elmer, is hired as a farm boy by an aging, rather tough woman with a lovely young niece. He causes heavy havoc on the farm as he ruins the roof while trying to repair it, smashes the dishes (with the help of the niece, it should be noted) and finally oversleeps. He falls in love with the girl, but is convinced that the aunt wants to woo him herself. There is a rather clever part towards the end in which Elmer is confronted with his own conscience as a physical image transforming out of his actual body and talking to him.
From this utterly simple premise, Keaton manages to exploit the material into a rather pleasant little comedy; whether this is due to director Charles Lemont being wise enough to let the comedian throw in his own bits once in a while, as a contrast to what other studios had permitted him to do in the past, or if Lamont understood Keaton's style better than other directors, is open for discussion. In any case, HAYSEED ROMANCE remains one of the rather few talkies Keaton made in which the dialogue does not appear distracting to his well-timed slapstick. It's not quite as funny as a later Educational short of his entitled GRAND SLAM OPERA, which is truly a gem, but never-the-less showcases a few glimpses of the brilliance which for long seemed to be lost.
The story of this two-reeler is as typical as one should expect from almost any short comedy of the 1930's; Buster, named Elmer, is hired as a farm boy by an aging, rather tough woman with a lovely young niece. He causes heavy havoc on the farm as he ruins the roof while trying to repair it, smashes the dishes (with the help of the niece, it should be noted) and finally oversleeps. He falls in love with the girl, but is convinced that the aunt wants to woo him herself. There is a rather clever part towards the end in which Elmer is confronted with his own conscience as a physical image transforming out of his actual body and talking to him.
From this utterly simple premise, Keaton manages to exploit the material into a rather pleasant little comedy; whether this is due to director Charles Lemont being wise enough to let the comedian throw in his own bits once in a while, as a contrast to what other studios had permitted him to do in the past, or if Lamont understood Keaton's style better than other directors, is open for discussion. In any case, HAYSEED ROMANCE remains one of the rather few talkies Keaton made in which the dialogue does not appear distracting to his well-timed slapstick. It's not quite as funny as a later Educational short of his entitled GRAND SLAM OPERA, which is truly a gem, but never-the-less showcases a few glimpses of the brilliance which for long seemed to be lost.
