For being one of the titans of the silent comic era, Buster Keaton never looked like he was having much fun. Known as the great Stone Face, Keaton never changed expression in his films while performing dangerous stunts, all without a double. In Steamboat Bill, Jr., he borrowed elements from his previous films, replacing the train from The General with a steamboat and using his family feud storyline from Our Hospitality. Add to this a spectacular hurricane finale and the result is classic silent comedy from one of the masters. The story involves a gruff riverboat captain whose business is dying thanks to his hated rival's majestic new ship. Now his sissy college educated son (Keaton) has come to see him for the first time and the captain must turn him into a man. Yet this proves to be a difficult task and to make matters worse the son has fallen for the daughter of the captain's rival! As things go from bad to worse and it appears nothing can be done for his son, the aforementioned storm strikes the river giving the lad the opportunity to prove his worth after all. Steamboat Bill, Jr. is not the greatest of Keaton's work, but due to some wonderfully inspired gags and some eye-popping visual effects during the storm scene, this film gladly ranks towards the top of the great comic silent films canon.
