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The Boat (1921)

| Short , Comedy , Family | 10 November 1921 (USA)
The Boat Poster
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
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton ... The Boat Builder (as 'Buster' Keaton)
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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. Written by Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

boat | leaking water | leaking from hole | leakage | s.o.s. | See All (15) »

Genres:

Short | Comedy | Family

Certificate:

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Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

10 November 1921 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

La barca See more »

Filming Locations:

Balboa Island, Newport Beach, California, USA See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White | Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

After several two-reelers co-starring Virginia Fox, Buster asked back Sybil Seely with the intention of combining this film and One Week (1920) into a four-reel comedy about the misadventures of a husband and wife. However, the feature never materialized. See more »

Goofs

When the boat rolls, Keaton's feet are in different positions to where he hailed his shoes to the floor. See more »

Quotes

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

Connections

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

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User Reviews

 
A better short subject by a master
26 January 1999 | by Vigilante-407 – See all my reviews

This is definitely one of Buster Keaton's better short films. The key is the simplicity of the premise...Keaton's character builds a houseboat...and the multitude of problems that it causes.

The jokes are simple but usually funny (even now in our more "enlightened times" and Keaton's slapstick acrobatics are, as usual, simply wonderful to watch. He uses that one basic, if large, prop...the boat...to great effect.

And the final line, while an old joke, is still funny.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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