The Paleface (1922)

Buster helps a Native American tribe save their land from greedy oil barons.

Directors:

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

Writers:

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

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox, Joe Roberts

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	Little Chief Paleface

Storyline

Evil oil barons have given the Indians one day to vacate their land. The Indian chief tells his braves to kill the first white man they see. Buster shows up chasing a butterfly. Later he keeps moving the stake to which he is tied and at which he is to be burned. He becomes one of the tribe and helps them with their fight.

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Plot Keywords:

butterfly net | tied to a pole | impersonation | falling from height | falling off a cliff | 

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Taglines:

He makes big Indian chief present of an oil well, and Indian makes oil can out of Buster (Print Ad- Evening Capitol, ((Annapolis. Md.)) 11 March 1922)

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Genres:

Short | Comedy | Western

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was restored in 2015 through Lobster Films, a process partially funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

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Goofs

On the handwritten note, the land shark's name is "J.C. Hunt" but on the office door, it's "D.J. Hunt".

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Quotes

The Indian Chief: White man say we must leave.
Little Chief Paleface: Us Indians must stick together.

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Alternate Versions

The version shown on the American Movie Classics channel was copyrighted in 1968 by Leopold Friedman and Raymond Rohauer. It had an uncredited music soundtrack and ran 21 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Be My King (1928)

User Reviews

Not one of Buster's Best

Buster Keaton plays a butterfly collector who is unlucky enough to stumble into an Indian reservation moments after it's chief has issued an order that the first white man they see is to be scalped after the tribe is duped out of their land. Of course, Keaton is initially blissfully unaware of the danger he's in. His sudden sprint for the reservation gates isn't because of a sudden realisation of the peril he's in but because he's just spotted a butterfly for his collection. The first half of this film, in which Keaton tries to elude the Indians, is the funniest, although the scene near the end in which he evades capture from another tribe of Indians by crossing a bridge that only has a dozen or so slats is pretty good. The film features some typical Keaton stunts and some good solid laughs but, in my opinion, this isn't quite one of his best.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

15 January 1922 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blekansiktet

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buster Keaton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

20 min 25 min (TV) (2016)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1