Seven Chances (Buster Keaton, 1925)
A man learns he will inherit a fortune if he
marries. By 7 p.m. Today.
Being the last Buster
Keaton film on my Pantheon Director feature, Seven Chances is a race against the clock that displays a frenetic
chase that its star is better known to be recognized for. In this 56 minutes
movie our little Buster does pretty much what we are patiently expecting from
him: comedy, outstanding physical gags, and all that with his legendary stone
face.
Jimmy Shannon (Buster Keaton) learns that he must be
married by 7 p.m. the day of his 27th anniversary to inherit the
seven million dollars of his grandfather. The love his life (Ruth Dwyer) refuses to marry him when
she learns that he proposed only because of the money. Then, he’s going on a
chase to find any girl who would be available and willing to marry a man on the
same day that she meets him.
The thin plot of the movie and the simple execution of
Keaton’s film are the main reasons why this film doesn’t stand amongst the
auteur’s better achievements. Some gags are repeated and some are less inspired
than others. Making many films in the same year might also be one of the facts
that may have brought down Seven Chances.
Its story and popularity has inspired many reuses and remakes. To defend
itself, Seven Chances has one of the
best chase scene of any Buster Keaton you can find. However, the setup of the
story seems to be around this superbly executed sequence.
Overall, Keaton’s athletic abilities and his strength in
making some of the funniest gags of his time didn’t really held the film as it
should. Being one of the lesser Keaton I’ve ever seen I can honestly say that
even if it’s a lesser film it is still a good movie and one of the most
successful films of its time. Recommended.
