Film (1965)

Director:

Alan Schneider

Writer:

Samuel Beckett (writer)

Release Date:

8 January 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Drama

Plot:

A twenty-minute, almost totally silent film (no dialogue or music one 'shhh!') in which Buster Keaton...

Plot Keywords:

Eye | Bird | Human Relations | Loneliness | Cat

Cast

Buster Keaton	...	The Man
Nell Harrison	...	Passerby
James Karen	...	Passerby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Reed	...	Old woman

Also Known As:

Samuel Beckett's Film

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Silent

Company:

Evergreen

Trivia:

The story of making "Film" was the basis of a play "The Stone Face" by Sherry MacDonald. The play was read in Orlando at the 2006 New Playfest, and work shopped at the 2007 New Playfest.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#3.3)" (1990)

Two Masters, simple majesty

I was in art school in 1971 when my Persian art teacher who was well connected in the New York scene showed us this remarkable piece of black-and-white art. It was pristine 16mm print, and from the first frame I found it funny, disturbing and masterful. Keaton is one of the gods of physical comedy and he says more with his body in this short piece of film than many comics can say in a lifetime of work. The irony of this piece is that it is pure art, with nothing "arty" about it; The production is first rate, but nothing is out of place or over-the-top. It is part allegory, part silent shtick and pure Beckett, as well as pure Keaton. The plot is so simple, any description will spoil it.If you have the rare privilege to see it, do.