The Scarecrow (1920)

Two inventive farmhands compete for the hand of the same girl.

Directors:

Edward F. Cline (as Eddie Cline), Buster Keaton (as 'Buster' Keaton)

Writers:

Buster Keaton (as 'Buster' Keaton), Edward F. Cline (as Eddie Cline)

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline, Luke the Dog

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	Farmhand (as 'Buster' Keaton)

Storyline

Farmhands Keaton and Roberts share a cottage full of mechanical devices for making life easy. They are rivals for the farmer's daughter. Keaton , disguised as a scarecrow, causes troubles for his rival and the farmer. When Keaton stoops to tie his shoe, the girl accepts what she thinks is his kneeling proposal.

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Plot Keywords:

tank top | man wearing a tank top | farmer | scarecrow | written and directed by cast member | 

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Taglines:

A laugh grenade that bursts into a million laughs!

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Genres:

Comedy | Short | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1920 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buster Keatons Trauung mit Hindernissen

Filming Locations:

618 Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Joseph M. Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

19 min (1995 Film Preservation print) 19 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Buster Keaton's father Joe Keaton plays the role of the farmer.

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Goofs

When Joe first starts chasing Buster, his leg is in a splint and he is using crutches because he'd been hit by a truck earlier. Later in the chase, Joe is uninjured.

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Quotes

Farmhand: Set the table.
Farmhand's Roommate: Hurry up! My stomach is as empty as a saloon.

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Connections

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

User Reviews

One of Buster Keaton's greatest silent shorts...

The Scarecrow is one of Buster Keaton's greatest silent shorts. In twenty minutes it catches us up in rapture, filled with cheer, humor, romance good nature, and a true and innocent sense of small town farm life. The film contains some of Keaton's most incredible acrobatics as he runs around on top of a ten-foot brick wall, handstands his way through a river of mud to avoid getting his clothes dirty (he, of course, falls in some mud once he gets to the end of the muddy river), is chased by a dog (the payoff of the chase scene is one of the funniest gags in any silent comedy, a brilliant satire of the way silent clowns insist on creating trouble for themselves), and on and on and on and on. As the film is almost coming to a close, Keaton is about to be married. But the film is not done with us yet; instead of merely watching the couple ride off into the sunset, Keaton boldly follows them to the sunset as the two get married on a speeding motorbike. For twenty minutes, I forgot about the time I wasted watching Go West.