Seven Chances (1925)

A man learns he will inherit a fortune if he marries by 7 p.m. that same day.

Director:

Buster Keaton

Writers:

Roi Cooper Megrue (adapted from David Belasco's famous comedy by), Clyde Bruckman

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Ruth Dwyer, T. Roy Barnes

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	James Shannon
T. Roy Barnes	...	Billy Meekin - James' Partner
Snitz Edwards	...	James' Lawyer
Ruth Dwyer	...	Mary Jones - James' Girl
Frances Raymond	...	Mrs. Jones - Mary's Mother (as Frankie Raymond)
Erwin Connelly	...	The Clergyman
Jules Cowles	...	The Hired Hand

Storyline

Financial broker Jimmie Shannon is nearly bankrupt when an attorney presents grandfather's will leaving him seven million dollars. In order to inherit the money Jimmie must marry before 7 pm on his 27th birthday - today!

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Plot Keywords:

desperate to marry | deadline for marriage | marriage for money | country club | slapstick comedy | 

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Taglines:

Buster takes all the chances of a young man who must marry by 7 o'clock to inherit seven million dollars with 700 prospective brides waiting at the church.(original newspaper ad)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

In his desperate search for a woman--any woman--to marry, Buster Keaton is passing a variety theater. There is a large picture of a visiting artiste who is playing there, and Keaton bribes someone to let him go in at the stage door. As he goes in, a workman removes a box that was obscuring the bottom of the poster, and we see the name of the "artiste": Julian Eltinge. Eltinge was a famous female impersonator, so famous that no further explanation is needed when Keaton almost immediately emerges, looking disconcerted.

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Goofs

The position of the tree in the street between shots keeps changing. It is clear to the right in the initial direction of travel of the two cars, then it is to the left near the curb when the car is seen crashed up into it - in a position where Mary's car would have to have been driving up on the sidewalk.

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Quotes

Billy Meekin - James' Partner: How many of these girls do you know? You have seven chances.

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Connections

Referenced in Buster Keaton Rides Again (1965)

User Reviews

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!

Based on the hit Broadway show by David Belasco and foisted upon him by his longtime collaborator and producer John M. Schenck, Buster Keaton regarded Seven Chances as his least favourite of his films, so much so that he tried to prevent a restoration from the one known copy. This is all considerably surprising and perhaps indicative of the professionalism the former vaudeville daredevil regarded his film work with, that despite his personal disaffection for the project, Buster Keaton turned it into a bonafide classic so very representative of his work. The basic story of a young man who must get married by seven o'clock that afternoon in order to inherit a vast fortune left to him by his deceased grandfather, becomes a setup, as Keaton tries his luck proposing to "anything that wears a skirt, including a Scotchman", for a huge uproarious chase scene in the second half on roads, mountains, land and water. Keaton being chased by an irate throng of brides through city streets and countryside is as iconic an image as Keaton being chased by the swarm of cops in his one-reeler Cops while many of the pratfalls and visual gags recall the breathtaking daring-do and ingenuity of his earlier SHERLOCK JR.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

15 March 1925 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seven Chances

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$210,748

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buster Keaton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

56 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White Color (2-strip Technicolor) (opening sequence)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1