The Saphead

Based on the Broadway hit The New Henrietta, this amiable 1920 comedy stars legendary Buster Keaton in his feature debut as Bertie, the spoiled but plucky son of Wall Street lion Nicholas Van Alstyne (William H. Crane). Trying to navigate the working world, Bertie rises to the occasion when his father's fortune is threatened by inept son-in-law Mark (Irving Cummings), who's married to Bertie's sister, Rose (Carol Holloway). Bertie eventually weds the lovely Agnes (Beulah Booker) but must earn back her trust when Mark foists his own illegitimate daughter onto Bertie. Like Charlie Chaplin, Keaton was at his best when he directed himself and concocted his own sequences. Here, he is under the less imaginative guidance of co-directors Herbert Blaché and Winchell Smith, and essentially relegated to a supporting role until the third act, where he leaps, slides, and wrestles on the stock exchange floor in an energetic finale (otherwise, Keaton is given little opportunity to display the comic gymnastics that would define his greatest works). Genial and entertaining—easily carried by Keaton's sweet charm and plucky naiveté—The Saphead made the comic a star, but it's only a warm-up for his later, more inspired directorial efforts, such as Sherlock Jr., Steamboat Bill Jr. and The General. Appearing on DVD and Blu-ray in a new, remastered edition, extras include a variant cut composed entirely of alternate takes (both feature original musical scores), a comparison between the two versions, personal photos from Keaton's childhood, and a 1962 audio recording with Keaton recalling his vaudeville days. Recommended for Keaton completists and those with larger silent film collections, this is a strong optional purchase elsewhere. (S. Axmaker)