Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)

The effete son of a cantankerous riverboat captain comes to join his father's crew.

Directors:

Charles Reisner (as Chas. F. Reisner), Buster Keaton (uncredited)

Writer:

Carl Harbaugh (story)

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Tom McGuire, Ernest Torrence

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	William Canfield Jr.
Tom McGuire	...	J.J. King
Ernest Torrence	...	William 'Steamboat Bill' Canfield
Tom Lewis	...	Tom Carter - First and Last Mate
Marion Byron	...	Kitty King - King's Daughter

Storyline

Following through on a promise to his mother, William Canning Jr. goes to River Junction to meet his father who has not seen him since he was a child. The younger Canning isn't quite what the elder was expecting but the old man has bigger problems. He's being put out of business by J.J. King, who not only owns the local hotel and bank, but has recently introduced a new paddle wheel steamer that puts Cannings older boat, the Stonewall Jackson, to shame. Bill Jr. and Kitty King take a liking to each other much to the dismay of both of their fathers. When a fierce storm hits River Junction, Bill Jr. is forced to save Kitty, her father and his father.

---

Plot Keywords:

hurricane | riverboat | forbidden love | father son relationship | national film registry | 

---

Taglines:

Hold on everybody. It's a Hurricane of Laughs!

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Marion Byron could not swim, so the scenes where her character is in the river with Buster Keaton were filmed with Buster's real-life sister Louise Keaton serving as Marion's stunt double (the two were both the same size: 4'11"). The water was very cold and during a day of filming Buster and Louise consumed four to five glasses of French brandy to keep them warm.

---

Goofs

When Bill Jr. enters the jail and the sheriff closes the door, the hand of a crew member can be seen outside reaching for the door.

---

Quotes

William Canfield Jr.: [to his father] I know what it is, you're ashamed of my baking.

---

Connections

Featured in So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM (2004)

User Reviews

8/10

For the first time since he was a baby, an effete Buster Keaton comes home from Boston to visit his steamboat captain father, who's being troubled by the head of the other, finer steamboat, J.J. King. Of course King's daughter is home to visit her father, too! This completely delightful comedy glides right along, with outstanding physical comedy from Keaton. The lightness of the film is a benefit, as is the short 70m running time. There's no shortage of brilliant gags, my favorite being Keaton trying to get his jailed father to accept his homemade loaf of bread. ("That must of [sic] happened when the dough fell in the tool chest.") I loved the opening, as well, with Bill going along to different shops with his son in order to prepare him for the boat, and the hilarious scene in the hat shop as Junior eyes himself in the mirror as his father suggests these awful hats. The ending is just amazing (and dangerous!), as buildings fall apart due to an awful wind, with Buster doing a disappearing act and fighting to stand up straight and retain his composure. 8/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

20 May 1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

Steamboat Bill, Jr.

Filming Locations:

Sacramento River, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buster Keaton Productions, Joseph M. Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1