The Boat (1921)

Buster and his family go on a voyage on his homemade boat that proves to be one disaster after another.

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, Sybil Seely

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	The Boat Builder (as 'Buster' Keaton)

Storyline

Buster's handmade boat, The Damfino, is finished and is, of course, too large to get through the basement door. When he drives off with it in tow, the side of his house, then the whole thing, collapses. At the harbor he rides the boat out only to have it sink beneath him. The rest is a series of adventures he and his family have with the restored boat.

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Plot Keywords:

boat | leaking water | leaking from hole | leakage | s.o.s. | 

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Taglines:

The boat carries a cargo of laughter explosives through an ocean full of Ticklish Tarpons. from stem to stern there are more ha-ha! and he-he! provokers than a sailor with a hipload of boiler fuel. (Print Ad- Evening Capitol, ((Annapolis, Md.)) 30 March 1922)

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Genres:

Short | Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The International Buster Keaton Society takes its name, The Damfinos, from this film.

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Goofs

The radio mast that Keaton erects on the boat is missing in the shots of the boat model.

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Quotes

Title Card: Out on the broad Pacific darkness stumbled and fell.

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Connections

Featured in Den gamle biograf: Episode #1.2 (2011)

User Reviews

Damned if I know.

This one might not be the best one of Keaton, but the adventures of one family on the self made boat is entertaining enough that it is worth your time. To understand the joke where Buster sends out S.O.S signal is good to know that the name of of the boat 'Damfino' means damned is I know. Also, International Buster Keaton Society (yes, there is such a cool organization) is called 'The Damfinos'.

Films starts with the scene, where Buster tries to get the boat out of the house and from there, one thing after another goes hilariously wrong that you finally start feel for the heroes. Fantastic scene is where the boat capsizes repeatedly and Buster runs like a hamster in a wheel while trying to send S.O.S. message.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Release Date:

20 November 1921 (USA)

Also Known As:

La barca

Filming Locations:

Balboa Island, Newport Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1