The Cameraman

The Cameraman
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Edward Sedgwick Buster Keaton
Written by	Story: Clyde Bruckman Lew Lipton Titles: Joseph W. Farnham
Produced by	Buster Keaton Lawrence Weingarten(uncredited)
Starring	Buster Keaton Marceline Day
Cinematography	Reggie Lanning Elgin Lessley
Edited by	Hugh Wynn
Music by	Arthur Barrow
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	September 22, 1928(1928-09-22)
Running time	76 minutes (8 reels)
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film English intertitles

The Cameramanis a 1928 Americansilentromantic comedy filmdirected byEdward Sedgwickand an uncreditedBuster Keaton.The picture stars Keaton andMarceline Day.

The Cameramanwas Keaton's first film under contract toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer.It is considered by fans and critics to be one of Keaton's best, and was added to theNational Film Registryin 2005 as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The following year, however, MGM refused to let Keaton continue with creative control over his pictures, thereby causing lasting damage to his career from which Keaton never really recovered. Keaton later referred to his move to MGM as "the worst mistake of my career".The Cameramanentered thepublic domain in the United States on January 1, 2024.

Plot

Full film

Buster, a sidewalktintypeportrait photographer in New York City, develops a crush on Sally, a secretary who works for MGM Newsreels. To be near her, he purchases an old film camera, emptying his bank account, and attempts to get a job as one of MGM's cameramen. Harold, an MGM cameraman who has designs on Sally himself, mocks his ambition.

Sally, however, encourages Buster and suggests he film anything and everything. Buster's first attempts show his total lack of experience. Hedouble exposesorover exposesmuch of the footage, and the rest is simply no good. Despite this setback, Sally agrees to go out with Buster, after her Sunday date cancels. They go to the city plunge (pool), where Buster gets involved in numerous mishaps. Later, Harold offers Sally a ride home, while Buster has to sit in therumble seat,where he gets drenched in the rain.

The next day, Sally gives him a hot tip she has just received that something big is going to happen inChinatown.In his rush to get there, he accidentally runs into anorgan grinder,who falls and apparently kills his monkey. A nearby cop makes Buster pay for the monkey and take its body with him. The monkey turns out only to be dazed and joins Buster on his venture.

In Chinatown, Buster films the outbreak of aTong War,narrowly escaping death on several occasions. At the end, he is rescued from Tong members by the timely arrival of the police, led by a cop who had been the unintentional victim of several of Buster's antics over the last few days. The cop tries to have him committed to the mental hospital, but Buster makes his escape with his camera intact.

Returning to MGM, Buster and the newsreel company's Boss are dismayed to find that he apparently forgot to load film into his camera. When Sally finds herself in trouble for giving Buster the tip, Buster offers to make amends by leaving MGM alone once and for all.

Buster returns to his old job, but does not give up on filming, setting up to record a boat race. He then discovers that he has Tong footage after all, the mischievous monkey had switched the reels. Sally and Harold are speeding along in one of the boats. When Harold makes too sharp a turn, the two are thrown into the river. Harold saves himself, but Sally is trapped by the circling boat. Buster stops filming to jump in and rescues her. When Buster rushes to a drug store to get medical supplies to revive her, Harold returns and takes credit for the rescue. The two go off, leaving the brokenhearted Buster behind, while the monkey films it all on the camera.

Buster decides to send his Tong footage to MGM free of charge. The Boss decides to screen it for Harold and Sally for laughs, but is thrilled by what he sees. They also see footage of Buster's boat footage and the monkey's shot of Buster's rescue of Sally. The Boss calls it the best camerawork he has seen in years. The Boss sends Sally to get Buster, who tells him that he's in for a great reception. Buster assumes aticker-tape paradeis in his honor, whereas it is really forCharles Lindbergh.

Cast

• Buster Keatonas Buster
• Marceline Dayas Sally Richards
• Harold Goodwinas Harold Stagg
• Sidney Braceyas Edward Blake, the Boss
• Harry Gribbonas Hennessey, the cop

Uncredited cast

• Richard Alexanderas one of Buster's rivals, the 'big sea lion'
• Edward Brophyas the man in the bath-house, who insists on sharing Buster's tiny changing room
• Ray Cooke as a office worker
• Vernon Dentas the man in tight bathing suit
• William Irvingas a photographer
• Charles Lindberghas himself (archive footage)
• Bert Moorhouseas Randall
• Harry Keaton as the man in the swimming pool
• Louise Keaton as the woman in the swimming pool
• Josephine the Monkey as the monkey

Production

On January 26, 1928, Keaton signed a two-year deal withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer.The deal required 2 films per year from Keaton and paid him $3,000 a week, making him the third highest-paid actor at the studio. Keaton brought most of his own crew with him from his own independent production company. He immediately pitched the idea forThe Cameramanto MGM, who paid him $1,250 for it.Keaton later said that the MGM deal was "the worst mistake of my life."

The film was overseen by producerLawrence Weingarten.Weingarten and Keaton fought on set and Weingarten called Keaton a child. Keaton was accustomed to complete control over his own productions and was unaccustomed to interference from producers.However, MGM's head of productionIrving Thalbergloved the finished film and laughed during screenings of its rushes (a rare display of emotion from Thalberg).22 writers were assigned to work on it, but Keaton convinced Thalberg to throw out the script and allow him to film it his own way.

The Cameramanwould later serve as inspiration for part of the 1950 comedyWatch the Birdie,starringRed Skelton,with Keaton working as a gagman for MGM and serving as an advisor to Skelton.The dressing-room scene in which Buster and another bather attempt to change while being pressed up against each other and getting entangled in one another's clothes was the inspiration for the stateroom scene in theMarx Brothers1935 filmA Night at the Opera.

Critical reception

The film was a box office hit, grossing $797,000, and was well received by film critics. MGM writing department used the film to train new writers as a "perfectly constructed comedy" for decades,even wearing out their print.

CriticMordaunt Hall,writing forTheNew York Times,liked the film and the work of Buster Keaton. He said, "Mr. Keaton's latest effort isThe Cameraman,which is filled with guffaws and grins, the sort of thing with many original and adroitly worked-out gags. But whether they belong to the story is immaterial...There are other sections that are wild and watery, but nonetheless humorous. "

David Robinsonwrote that the film "betrays nothing of the struggle and strain that went into its preparation. It is a lucid, beautifully formed dramatic comedy."

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film holdsan approval rating of 100%,based on 20 reviews.

Honors

In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registryby theLibrary of Congressas being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Preservation status

The Cameramanwas at one point considered alost film,destroyed in the1965 MGM vault fire.However, a complete print was discovered inParisin 1968.Another print, of much higher quality, although missing some footage, was discovered in 1991.The two prints were combined into a version which now is available.The Cameramanwas released on Blu-ray and DVD throughThe Criterion Collection(under license fromWarner Bros.) on June 16, 2020.As a film published in 1928, it entered thepublic domain on January 1, 2024.

See also

• Buster Keaton filmography

Bibliography

• The Cameramanessay by Daniel EaganinAmerican's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry,A&C Black, 2010ISBN0826429777,pages 144-145.
• Meade, Marion (1997).Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase.New York, NY: Da Capo Press.ISBN0306808021.
• Wakeman, John (1987).World Film Directors.Vol. 1. New York, New York: The H. W. Wilson Company.ISBN9780824207571.

External links

• The Cameraman: Man with a Movie Cameraan essay by Imogen Sara Smith at theCriterion Collection
• The CameramanatIMDb
• The CameramanatAllMovie
• The Cameramanat theTCM Movie Database
• The Cameramanat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films