El moderno Barba Azul (1946)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Director:

Jaime Salvador

Writers:

Jaime Salvador (writer)
Victor Trivas (writer)

Release Date:

2 August 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi | War

Plot:

In the final days of WWII, an earnest but somewhat dense sailor (played by Buster Keaton) is lost at sea...

Plot Keywords:

Moon | WWII | Space | Mexico | Bluebeard

Cast

Buster Keaton
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luis G. Barreiro
Guillermo Bravo Sosa
Pedro Elviro
Ángel Garasa
Ramón G. Larrea
Jorge Mondragón
José Elías Moreno
Ignacio Peón
Óscar Pulido
Enriqueta Reza
Virginia Serret
Fernando Soto
José Torvay

Also Known As:

A Modern Bluebeard
Boom in the Moon (USA)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Alsa Film

Typical 1940's Buster Keaton - for completists only

Since the release of Buster Keaton's talkies on video, we have a more complete picture of his decline in the 1930's. And although you could argue the merits of his work during his first post-silent period (1930-1933), there is little disagreement regarding the virtues, or rather lack thereof, of his later entries. To make matters worse, many of the movies that Keaton starred in (or otherwise contributed to) in the late-30's/mid-40's were cheaply made nonsensical "lowest common denominator"-type C movies like this one.

And yet... and yet once in a painful while, something shines through the buffoonade and you get a glimpse of what might have been. Is it worth your time? Well, if you have seen - and enjoyed - Buster's brilliant silent movies and are looking for more of the same, then by all means stay away from this abomination. On the other hand, if you have also seen all of his 1930-1933 movies, including the stinkers, and are not afraid of the next step down the same downward spiral, then give it a shot. But don't say I didn't warn you!