Sherlock Jr.
Tags: absurd, psychedelic, humor, satire

Plot synopsis:
Sherlock Jr. starts with a proverb: "Don't try to do two things at once and expect to do justice to both." The projectionist/Sherlock Jr. (Buster Keaton) sits at the back of an empty movie theater with his broom, reading "How to Be a Detective." He has the required equipment: a moustache disguise and a magnifying glass. He is chided by his boss to complete his chores first. So he begins to work, but not before day-dreaming about his love interest, The Girl (Kathryn McGuire). Before sweeping the mess in front of the theater, the projectionist walks to the confectionery next door. There is a box of candies that costs a dollar, and a bigger one that costs three dollars. He only has two dollars. Shrugging, he returns to his work.In front of the theater, a particularly sticky piece of paper sticks to his broom. As he tries to shake it off, he steps on the paper. He tries to shake the paper loose of his foot, but no luck - he grabs it. The paper sticks to his hands, etc. He hears his boss leaving, so he holds the paper on the floor, until his boss steps on it, and relieves him of the problem. We are then introduced to the local Sheik (Ward Crane) - the town shyster. He glances at the candy, but has no money. In the trash pile, the projectionist finds a dollar. He puts on his coat, ready to purchase the three dollar box of candy, until a young woman arrives, searching through the trash for a dollar she lost. The projectionist gives her back the dollar. As he begins to put away his jacket, an elderly woman begins digging through the trash - she has lost a dollar also. The projectionist generously gives her one of his dollars. Finally a hairy giant arrives on the scene. The projectionist offers him a dollar immediately. The giant refuses and begins to dig through the trash, spotting a wallet with a wad of cash. Shrugging, the projectionist takes the crumpled dollar to buy the box of candy.As he walks to the girl's house. He uses a pencil to change the price tag on the box of candy from one dollar to four. He is invited in the house, and presents the gift (and the price tag) to the girl. The Sheik enters and surveys this scene. He takes a watch out of a coat pocket. The projectionist takes out a ring and gives her the tiniest ring - he also gives her his magnifying glass to look at the ring. They awkwardly hold hands. Meanwhile, the Sheik pawns the watch and purchases the three dollar box of candy. The Sheik enters the parlor with the big candy box, and takes the girl to the dining room to examine the candy, closing the curtains behind him.
When the projectionist intrudes in the dining room, the Sheik hands him a banana and directs him back to the parlor. The projectionist peels the banana and leaves the peel on the floor, calling the Sheik back to the parlor. The Sheik stops just short of stepping on it. As the projectionist gets up to call the Sheik back, he slips on his own peel.When the girl's father returns, he discovers that his watch is missing. Not to fear, though, the projectionist has his detectives manual. As he reads the first rule (Search Everyone) the Sheik peers over his shoulder, and slips the pawnbroker receipt into the projectionist's pocket. After searching everyone, the projectionist is searched and kicked out of the house after it is discovered that he has the receipt (to make matters worse, the four dollar payment is the same "price" as his box of candy). The girl also returns the engagement ring.As the Sheik exits confidently, the projectionist reads the next step in his detective book, which says, "Shadow your man closely." The projectionist takes this advice quite literally, and trails right behind him, step for step, to a train station. When the Sheik notices he has been followed, the projectionist casually walks into an open refrigerator car. The Sheik locks him in. As the projectionist peeks out of the top of the rail car, the train begins to move. The projectionist runs along the top of the train cars like a treadmill, finally grabbing a water spout, which gently lowers him. But he grabs the valve handle, spilling water all over him as he falls to the ground (it is in this famous scene, where Keaton in real life, breaks his neck). The water interrupts a passing handcar, causing two men pumping it to chase the projectionist. Meanwhile, the girl goes to the pawn shop and the pawn broker points out the Sheik as the man who pawned the watch. The happy girl runs to find her paramour.The projection screens a film called "Hearts and Pearls." He falls asleep at the projector, and his "double" from his dream state exits his resting body to watch the film. The main characters of the movie, two aristocrats, turn into the girl and the Sheik.The projectionist in his dream state approaches the screen of the film, and jumps into the picture. As he jumps into the scene, he is confronted by the door of an aristocratic house. As he begins to leave, the scene switches, and the steps of the door change to a short pedestal by a garden wall. The scene changes to busy street, to mountain top, to a jungle of lions, to a desert grave, to a rock in the ocean, to a snowy hilltop, and finally back to the garden wall, forcing the projectionist to adjust to each new environment.The film shifts back to one of the aristocrats (the girl's father) finding that someone has robbed his vault of his pearls. Indeed, it was the Sheik whose co-conspirator is the butler (Erwin Connelly). The father calls Sherlock Jr. (The Projectionist). The nervous Sheik asks the Butler how to foil the the wiles of Sherlock Jr. The Butler has a number of booby traps to destroy Sherlock Jr. He has an exploding billiard ball (number 13) on the pool table. There is also a chair that would have an axe kill the occupant when weight is applied.A gloved hand rings the doorbell, and it is dapper Sherlock Jr. dressed in a top hat, cane, and tails. After he examines the empty vault, he dusts the trick chair, but doesn't sit on it. The Butler sneaks some poison in a shot glass, which Sherlock Jr. almost drinks, but politely hands to the Sheik. The Sheik almost doesn't catch the Butler's frantic pleas not to drink. The Sheik and Sherlock Jr. begin to play pool, and Junior almost knocks the butler into the chair with the end of his pool cue.Sherlock Jr. breaks the rack, and as he begins to play, the Sheik and the butler take cover in the parlor. He has multiple close calls around ball number thirteen, but amazingly remains untouched. When he scratches the cue ball, the Sheik is allowed one more opportunity. The Sheik misses, and Sherlock Jr. aims straight for ball number thirteen, and he... knocks it in the pocket with no effect. The Sheik and the butler are dumbfounded, as Sherlock Jr. puts the cue down and walks away. As the clueless villains try to assess what had just happened (almost swallowing the poison shot, and triggering the seat trap) they discover that the exploding ball has been taken.Sherlock Jr. prepares to tail the Sheik, when we are introduced to Sherlock Jr.'s assistant, Gillette. The detective follows the Sheik to the top of a building, where the Sheik locks him on the roof, and then returns to his convertible, parked next to the tall building. Before the Sheik can drive off, Sherlock Jr. grabs the railroad crossing gate, which conveniently deposits him into the back seat of the Sheik's convertible. The Sheik gets to his hideout, with Sherlock Jr. hiding in the back seat. Gillette had hitched a ride on the back of the Sheik's convertible as well, and gives Sherlock Jr. a gun, and a paper drum full of women's clothing. Sherlock Jr. places the paper drum on the window sill. He is then captured by three of the Sheiks men and interrogated in the cabin. They reveal that the butler has kidnapped the girl, and that the Sheik will marry her. Sherlock Jr. is able to escape, grabbing the pearls and jumping through the window (and the paper drum). He is now dressed in a woman's wardrobe, and as the Sheik's henchmen look around, the detective is nowhere to be seen.One of the men begins to suspect the woman, and makes chase. The thugs trap Sherlock Jr. in an alleyway, but he is able to trick them with the help of Gillette and a trap door. As Sherlock Jr. runs into the street with the henchmen chasing him, a motorcycle courier who turns out to be Gillette pulls alongside him. Sherlock Jr. gets on top of the handlebars, while Gillette drives. The Sheik pulls up in his car, and begin to make chase. A bump knocks Gillette off, leaving Sherlock Jr. on a seemingly possessed motorcycle, oblivious to the fact that no one is driving him.Sherlock Jr.'s bike encounters, ditch diggers, a tug-o-war, a bridge with a gap in it and a collapsing end section, a downed tree dynamited out of the way, and a train, miraculously without breaking stride - that is, until Sherlock Jr. realizes that no one is driving the motorcycle.At the cabin, the butler has sinister schemes for the young girl, until the motorcycle crashes, propelling Sherlock Jr. feet first through a window and into the butler's chest, knocking the wind out of the villain. The Sheik's men arrive at the cabin, but Sherlock Jr. and the girl escape through the window and take the Sheik's car. The Sheik and his henchmen take the butler's car, and begin to fire at Sherlock Jr. The detective takes out the exploding billiard ball, and hurls it into the Sheiks car, which explodes.The four wheel brakes stop Sherlock Jr.'s car before they hit the lake, but the body of the car is not secured to the frame, and it hurtles into the lake like a boat. Sherlock Jr. puts up the convertible top to use as a sail, and returns the pearls to the girl. The car/boat abruptly sinks.The projectionist wakes up from this exciting dream to see the girl in his projection booth. She apologizes for her accusations, and the projectionist watches the movie to see how to close this deal. When the actor in the film takes the actress's hand, the projectionist takes the girl's hand. When the actor in the film gives the actress a ring, the projectionist gives the girl a ring. Then the actor kisses the actress on the lips - the film fades out and fades in to show the actor and actress with twins. This turn of events leaves the projectionist scratching his head, as he wonders how he can replicate the film's end.

Review: What's so remarkable is not so much any particularly hilarious gag or gags, as the never-ending stream of amazing and entertaining sights - coming faster and faster as the film proceeds - that seem so off-hand and effortlessly inventive, but that must have involved many hours of painstaking work to perfect.
reality theme is also highly suggestive, and makes this great movie one of the most completely satisfying efforts by Keaton or anyone else.The film opens slowly and allows the pace to build gradually.
Not only is this Buster Keaton's best film, but it is among the greatest achievements in the history of cinema, period.
That is what I love about Buster, the fact he did his own stunts shows that he was a great believer in producing a film that was genuine, that didnt try to trick or fool it's audience.I find it sad that today most people seem to think that comedy is about dialouge and punch lines, when it is clear from film master pieces such as Sherlock Jr. that this is not true.
Silent movies are not to be ignored just because they are 'old', when I watch many of them they feel as fresh as any new comedy - if not more so.So thank-you Buster!.
Her father is played by Buster's father Joe Keaton, who would appear in many of his son's films.There's a mustachioed cad with slick hair and a sharp suit who is after the girl, a cartoon baddie who the audience instinctively knows deserves a hiss and not a cheer.It is in Junior's other job as a cinema projectionist that the film comes alive.
In a sequence of great inventiveness, we see the film within a film changing scenes and watch with delight as the character adapts to each situation and surrounding.Sherlock Jr is very funny but is also unusual and, in comparison with other comedies of the period, ahead of its time.
It includes some excellent stunts that are the equal of anything done by Harold Lloyd in the same period, and, although it has a very short running time, manages to develop a good storyline throughout.Justly feted as a masterpiece of silent comedy, Sherlock Jr represented one of the peaks of Buster Keaton's cinematic career.
Oddly enough I watched Sherlock jr only this afternoon, after so many viewings it still amazes me how far ahead of his time Buster Keaton was, often copied, rarely equalled never surpassed.
So if you are like that do yourself a favour, get hold of a copy of this movie and enjoy, it shocks me that films such as 'Something about Mary' are rated higher than this masterpiece of comedy, there is nothing wrong with 'SaM' even I laughed at it, but, watching it once was enough, however I watch Sherlock jr again and again in pure amazement at Buster Keaton and his cameraman, Elgin Lessley's achievements without the aid of modern technology, like most other's the scene where he dives through a window to reappear as a little old lady gobsmacks me, how did he do it?
There ought to be a theater that shows nothing but perfectly preserved prints of the silent comedies of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Harry Langdon.
But anyone who thinks that silent film is nothing more than a crude and unskilled ancestor of today's motion picture need only spend some time on these great comedies to realize that, in this genre at least, the peak was reached in the 20s.
And the best of his movies is Sherlock, Jr. The dream sequence in which he becomes an actor in the film he's projecting is astonishing; the way in which this movie is a sort of window into a different and appealing age is charming--and the ending of this movie takes the breath away.
Buster Keaton's a film genius for making a movie like this..
Sherlock, Jr. arguably exceeds The General as Buster Keaton's greatest achievement -- it is certainly more magical in its use of extraordinary special effects and unconventionally humorous situations.
Keaton's brilliant structuring of the story -- a fantastic treat for audiences when his pathetic projectionist becomes the genius detective through a literal entering of the movie screen -- has been imitated dozens of times, but I always come back to this unsurpassable rendering.
Watching Keaton play the scene where he studies how to go about kissing his best girl by peeking at a movie version of the same event always reduces me to simultaneous jags of tears and laughter..
Not only is it clever and fast and well done, it's short (well under an hour) so you won't have to panic.Buster Keaton is one of the big three silent film comedians (along with Chaplin and Lloyd).
He is sending for the world's greatest detective - Sherlock Jr.!"After watching several of Chaplin's classic films, I decided it was time to give Buster Keaton an opportunity beginning with one of his most revered movies, Sherlock Jr. Keaton and Chaplin dominated the silent movie era, but most people are divisive as to who was the most talented actor-director of that time.
I can see how Buster Keaton garners recognition for his magical work in this film, being one of the first to actually incorporate dream sequences into his movie.
Many other films (and especially cartoons) were inspired from several scenes in Sherlock Jr, like the one in which Keaton's character jumps into a movie screen and becomes a character in the movie that is being projected (better known as "the movie within a movie" sequence).
In his dreams, he becomes the hero of the film and the adventure begins.Buster Keaton's film has some brilliant and magical sequences, and I think it is a bit unfair to compare him with Chaplin because he has a very different style.
As performers they both have different styles, Chaplin uses a lot of physical comedy while Keaton uses deadpan humor and incorporates a lot of action scenes doing some risky stunts (in the train sequence he actually fractured his neck).
Depending on which style you like best, you will probably claim Keaton or Chaplin is better, but it would be unfair to say one is less talented than the other because they both proved to be geniuses during the silent era and have left us with a rich legacy.
There are little bits like that, and then those huge scenes of choreographed mayhem: a blast by water after hanging off of a moving train, a chase through a town that includes a sudden chance of a road connected, jumps through small holes and windows at the nick of time that are half pure Keaton and half exciting editing.And then Keaton himself, usually a little guy looking shy and quiet and a dreamer in the greatest cinematic sense (this was one of the first, if not the first, films to have a character go into a movie-world right through the screen), and he's always incredibly subtle but not ever lacking appropriate comic timing.
Only this time, in such a short running time for a feature (it's just a few minutes short of being a short film), Keaton crams as much as he can to perfect effect.Sherlock Jr should be seen by just about anyone looking for a great example of pure silent-comedy hijinks and stunt work; what Jackie Chan might be for martial arts Buster Keaton is to a crazy pratfall, and you often can't entirely believe it's the guy on screen doing what's being done.
And it's also, alongside Steamboat Bill Jr and The General, examples of how Keaton could be an exemplary filmmaker, someone who took film technique and shook it up just a bit (if, admittedly, more-so than Chaplin as just director if not quite as a star), while sticking faithfully to comedy and heart-tugging moments.
The brilliance and originality of visual gags throughout Sherlock Jr. make it one of Keaton's very best feature films alongside The Cameraman and Seven Chances.Buster finds himself adrift "Three-and-a-half miles higher than a kite" in The Balloonatic.
This film had some great scenes like the dream sequence however the slapstick routine at the beginning of it just seemed out of place.
Lots of little pointless special effects going on too, like at the beginning of the dream sequence when he walks into the movie and the scenery keeps changing on him.
Keaton shows that great film artistry can be achieved with rudimentary technology.Sherlock Jr. will remain on a list of "must watch" film classics as long as people are still watching movies..
Buster Keaton, as he does in every film, has three or four sight gags that are so shocking and startling that you'll be rolling on the floor with laughter (I particularly liked the "dive through the barn window" - I won't give it away, but it's insanely hilarious).
My favorite film second only to "Annie Hall."  "Sherlock, Jr." is Buster Keaton's masterpiece.
The technical special effects teams assembled for today's movies couldn't possibly capture the nuances or spirit of Keaton's truly astounding stunts all performed with a precision that would shame a brain-surgeon.There was never a greater artist working in silent film than Keaton and it is to the AFI's ever-lasting shame that none of his films (but especially this one) were named to their so-called 100 Greatest Films list.
And of course Buster Keaton, who didn't transition as well or smoothly into the sound era (whereas Chaplin made some of his best work in it) but when he was in his prime there was nobody back then, when it came to comedy, more daring in terms of the jaw-dropping stunt-work, or who was able to make deadpan funny and expressive, and actually it is still like that now.
Keaton wasn't nicknamed "The Great Stone Face" for nothing, and in my mind he was every bit as funny and easy to like as Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, while also being a bigger risk taker, having bolder material physically and his films being technically in his prime period superior.
The direction keeps things moving with control, progressing gradually and always assuredly, and balances everything beautifully.When it comes to the humour, 'Sherlock Jr' is one of Keaton's funniest and most inventive, chockful of hilarious moments timed to absolute perfection.
Also found myself surprisingly educated, which makes this film one of Keaton's more interesting films, in learning the trade tricks in editing and effects and some of the most genius use of back projection (often done cheaply and obviously, but inventively done here).Like 'The General' and 'Steamboat Bill, Jr' it is really great to have a story with brains, heart and logic, treating the audience with respect and there is never any trouble following it.
phenomenal; to name a few, I mean Buster was an incredibly talented performer, you could even say he was a magician, for the work he did on this film feels ethereal, dream-like and magical, even though it is essentially
Buster Keaton playing the role of the movie projectionist Sherlock Jr. was very entertaining.
While there are a few points in the movie that are disjointed and not as fun, overall you can stay engrossed enough until you get to some really cool and innovative special effects, which given the technological limitations when this was filmed in the 1920's are simply amazing..
In Sherlock, Jr., Buster Keaton plays a movie theater projectionist and a janitor who is also studying to be a detective at the same time.
After the first 15 minutes, Buster Keaton falls asleep while at his projectionist job and he begins to dream that he has become the "greatest" detective in the movie he was projecting.
One of the funniest films of the silent era and my personal favorite Buster Keaton film, Sherlock Jr. is an outstanding work of imagination, slapstick humor & technical craftsmanship by Buster Keaton.
One of the greatest silent films of all time, Sherlock Jr. is, in my opinion, Buster Keaton's finest work..
After watching The General, I couldn't wait to get my hands on another Buster Keaton film.
Minute for minute, Sherlock Jr. packs in just as many stunts and laughs, all while exploring the boundaries of cinematic creativity.The film follows Keaton as Sherlock Jr., a movie theater projectionist that wants to become a detective.
The scene where Keaton enters a movie screen and interacts with the things inside of it is simply incredible (not to mention hilarious), even by today standards.
when buster was at his best as he was in "sherlock jr", his films were a work of art.
Buster Keaton acquires amazing special effects for a 1924 movie.
Overall, I don't enjoy silent movies often but this one was short and sweet and had me laughing more times than I could count..
This short silent film is in my opinion Buster Keaton's best work and also very funny, showing off his great physical comedy skills.
In my opinion Sherlock Jr. is a prefect movie for those today, with most block busters today in the hour and a half to two hour range its harder to allot that time to watch a movie, being only about 45 minuets long and silent it allows the viewer to enjoy his work in a short time and without disrupting others around if you find yourself with out headphones..
I think Buster Keaton is pure genius, the originality of this movie is amazing.
Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. explores the relationship between a man's dreams and reality with comedy intermingled perfectly.
Buster Keaton did a wonderful job with this movie between the comedy and the plot.
Not only is does it star silent film icon Buster Keaton, but it utilizes very imaginative filmmaking during a time when it wouldn't have been necessary.
If you liked Christopher Nolan's Inception, you should know that the idea of a film taking place inside a dream first came from Sherlock, Jr. If you liked Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo, the film-within-a-film technique first came from Sherlock, Jr.Even if you're not interested in the technical aspects, this is still a very fun movie with classic Buster Keaton scenes to keep you entertained every time you watch it.
If you've seen him jump through a wall and disappear-or Donald O'Connor recreate the stunt in The Buster Keaton Story-that famous magic trick is from this film.
Sherlock Jr. is one of those rare silent films that shocked the viewers then as much as it does now, it is an overwhelming experience to watch these characters come alive on screen..
While taking a class on the History of American Cinema I had the opportunity to watch a couple of silent era films, including Sherlock Jr.
I never thought I'd like silent films, but this movie was quite good.
Sherlock Jr. is a silent film about a projectionist who wants to become a detective, then becomes at odds with a local thief who blames him for stealing his girlfriend's fathers watch.
I think this is a good introduction for people like myself who are new to watching silent movies..
Sherlock Jr. is a silent film about a projectionist who wants to become a detective, then finds himself at odds with a local thief who has blamed him for the theft of his girlfriend's fathers watch.
I consider this a good introduction to people like myself who are new to watching silent movies..
A definite watch for someone seeking a "real old time silent film"..
This is definitely one of the most influential movies ever made, from the moving camera to the visual effects (such as the men's "soul" - or something like that - leaving his body), this movie has everything, and man, it's almost 100 years-old!Keaton's performance is really good here, in fact, I believe the whole cast is great, I'm still getting into the silent movies, but I believe they (the cast) were able to pass their emotions the way this type of movies ask for.But again, it's the many new "things" Keaton uses here that make the movie so important, and has so much value until today.
The guy who wants the girl, but can't get it because of the bad guy, but in the end, he beats him, with a lot of action scenes, dream sequences, and with a little bit of lucky.I love the way the movie is shot.
A classic of the Silent Era. A young man works as a projectionist at a movie theatre but dreams of becoming a famous detective.
With a running time of only 45 minutes this movie is among the shorter ones (even for the silent film genre).
Sherlock Jr. wasn't a skilled fighter but rather the kind of fellow who'd run away from a fight, even in his dreams.It's a decent movie but definitely not one of Buster Keaton's best.
"Sherlock Jr." by Buster Keaton was a film revolutionary for its time and still holds up well today in many aspects.
It was surprisingly fast paced and had a lot of cool action way before you think of the more modern action films, Yet the whole dream sequence was very thought provoking and almost like Keaton created a vivid world with its own laws and internally consistent logic.
Buster Keaton Sherlock Jr. entertaining film!.
Buster Keaton's film, Sherlock Jr. is a great film that uses a lot of techniques that make the film interesting and creative.
"Sherlock Jr." is one of many masterpieces made by Buster Keaton and he established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Art of Silent Comedy.
Sherlock Jr, made in 1924, featuring Buster Keaton became an esteemed film for a reason.
With this being my second time watching a silent film I cannot help but to admit I was amazed yet again.
Sherlock Jr is one of Buster Keaton's better known films, where he plays a projectionist who longs to become a detective.
Out of the few silent movies I have viewed, Sherlock starring Buster Keaton is by far the most advanced.