Steamboat Bill Jr.
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Some violence in silent comedy masterpiece.
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Steamboat Bill Jr.
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What's the Story?
"Steamboat Bill" (Ernest Torrence) and his faithful first mate (Tom Lewis) run the most dilapidated paddle steamer on the river. The wealthy Mr. King (Tom McGuire) hopes to run him out of business with a fancier, more expensive vessel. At this point, Bill's estranged son, Willie Canfield Jr. (Buster Keaton), returns home from college. But rather than a tough river man, he's a big-city softie. To make matters more complicated, King's pretty daughter Kitty (Marion Byron) also returns home, and she and Willie fall in love. When Bill tries to stand up to the evil King and winds up in jail, Willie realizes that he must do what's right for his family. Unfortunately, a massive cyclone hits, changing everyone's plans.
Is It Any Good?
Buster Keaton's camera never errs; it's always in the right place at the right time to get the funniest laughs, the most glorious rhythms, and the most beautiful moments of human connection. This was Keaton's final feature as an independent filmmaker (before he signed his ill-fated contract with MGM), and he used the opportunity to top himself with the cyclone sequence. The cyclone provides many amazing, memorable moments, but the most famous is the one in which the front of a building falls on Keaton, and his body passes safely through an open window. (Legend has it that if the comedian had missed his mark by an inch, he would have been crushed.)
But this movie has far more to it than a famous stunt. Ernest Torrence gave one of the great supporting performances in Keaton's films as the gruff, grizzled father. Their straining relationship adds many emotional layers to the story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. It seems that Willie's father tries to solve everything through force and violence. Does he get anywhere with this method?
What does the movie have to say about big city education? When Willie returns home, he is seen as a wimp and a milquetoast. But the small town and the river turn him into a "man." What are the differences between the city and a small town?
When Willie tries to break his father out of prison, is he doing the right thing?
Why are Keaton's gags, which are based on falling down and getting hurt, funny?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 20, 1928
- On DVD or streaming: July 6, 2010
- Cast: Buster Keaton , Ernest Torrence , Marion Byron
- Directors: Buster Keaton , Charles Reisner
- Studio: Kino
- Genre: Comedy
- Character Strengths: Courage
- Run time: 70 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: September 10, 2023
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