The term “revolutionary” is thrown around far too much these days, and is often not quite as deserving when associated with certain artists, something that even the most generous of individuals can agree on, particularly since anyone who is seen as even slightly challenging the artistic status quo is given such a label. However, there are a small group that not only earn the title, but actually tend to define it for several reasons, such as in the case of Buster Keaton, unquestionably one of the most important filmmakers of his generation, and someone whose legacy still remains untouched as far as silent era comedians tend to go, and which is showing very little sign of shifting. As both a director and performer, Keaton’s body of work is filled with so many genuinely brilliant works, deciding on his masterpiece is certainly difficult, but not entirely impossible, since there are a couple that tend to simmer to the surface whenever his work is discussed. The one that is perhaps most prominent – at least in terms of it being the entry-point many make to his career – is Steamboat Bill, Jr., in which Keaton plays the down-on-his-luck preppy son of a scowling steamboat captain, and who is plunged into a series of hilarious misadventures when visiting his father while on break from college, and forced to work on the vessel, which proves to be a severe mistake considering our protagonist’s penchant for getting himself into trouble at inopportune moments, and which is made only more complex by the arrival of an old school friend with whom Junior proves to be entirely smitten, to the point where she becomes something of an obstacle, especially since she is the daughter of the rival of the protagonist’s father. A genuinely daring and unquestionably brilliant work of slapstick comedy that is as hilarious as it is inventive, Steamboat Bill, Jr. is the very definition of an absolute masterpiece that has proven to transcend generations and geographical boundaries to become one of the most cherished comedies of this era, and one that has continued to be highly influential to audiences over the course of the past ninety years.

Every artist has their particular set of skills that define them, and Keaton’s main talent was his physicality, which led to over a dozen exceptional films based around the fact that he possessed the rare trait of being both very flexible in terms of movement, and utterly fearless when it came to performing death-defying acts, which form the foundation for all of his films. Steamboat Bill, Jr. came about quite late in his career (being the tenth film he directed, and the third last before he retired from silent filmmaking), and therefore carried the burden of having Keaton push himself further than ever before, going bigger and executing these acts with more bombastic precision than we had encountered previously. The results speak for themselves, with the entire third act of this film being one astonishing setpiece after another, particularly since this contains one of the most iconic climaxes of not only his career, but across the entire silent era, with the cyclone that occupies the final few scenes being borderline revolutionary in both style and function. Keaton had a penchant for destruction, albeit in a manner that was usually more subtle and elegant, but with Steamboat Bill, Jr., he throws caution to the wind (no pun intended) and braves multiple elements, with half the film being a series of incredible water-based stunts, and the second half filled with moments where the protagonist is battling against the destructive winds blowing through whatever corner of the country in which this film is set. It’s incredibly riveting filmmaking, and there is very little doubt as to why this film (as well as many of his other efforts) are seen as such revolutionary pieces of filmmaking – on a technical level alone, this film is in a league of its own, with the attention to detail in the worldbuilding (which we’ll discuss momentarily) contrasting sharply with Keaton’s willingness to dismantle the very fabric of the filmmaking process being the core of why this is such an incredibly engaging piece of filmmaking.

We tend to associate Keaton with some of his contemporaries such as Charlie Chaplin and Harry Langdon, who usually directed their own films (another notable name in the form of Harold Lloyd was more open to having others take the helm, even if he did step behind the camera on a few occasions), but the sheer volume of the work he was doing meant that he could not be entirely in command of the directorial duties, which is why he tended to hire co-directors to work with him, while he went uncredited for the most part, such as the case of this film, in which the credit is given to Charles Reisner, another actor who had done his fair share of work in comedy (including co-starring in some of Chaplin’s most notable early works) in what appears to be his first and only collaboration with Keaton, acting as essentially the hired hand tasked with holding the fort while the iconic star defies the laws of physics on the other side of the camera. Keaton is well-regarded as one of the greatest actors of the era, beyond simply being inarguably the greatest stunt performer in the history of the medium (a sentiment against which not even the most dedicated of critics will dare to argue), but also someone whose incredible expressivity and ability to say so much without uttering a single word is the fundamental reason behind the radical success of his films, which are all the more compelling because of his willingness to not only showcase his incredible physicality, but also deliver a meaningful performance in the quieter moments. Steamboat Bill, Jr. has many fantastic opportunities for Keaton to showcase his prowess as a performer, with the nuance he brings to the titular role being incredibly moving and profoundly intriguing. Stone-faced but never dour, he was truly one of the most magnetic performers to ever work in the medium, and this terrific film is a perfect exemplification of all of these qualities existing in tandem.

Rather than merely being a mindless bundle of astonishing stunts, we can look beyond the visual brilliance of Steamboat Bill, Jr. (which is undeniably definitive of the film’s identity, but not the only element worth discussing) and see that there is a very solid story at the core of the film. This is a tale of an underdog defying the odds and proving to both himself and those around him that he’s an exceptionally gifted individual, despite being at the receiving end of what seems to be an abundance of abuse and disdain for everyone in his immediate surroundings. A lot of the humour is derived from this tale of unexpected heroism – the journey the protagonist undertakes, where he gradually and methodically proves himself to be just as valiant as the more rough-and-ready people he meets while working on the river, is absolutely delightful, with notable scenes early on including the iconic hat sequence, as well as his interactions with his father (played by the absolutely brilliant Ernest Torrence, who deserves a lot of praise for how he uses his towering figure to play this fascinating character), which form the core of some of the film’s funniest and most heartfelt moments. Structured as a working-class odyssey designed to celebrate the labourers that populate the heartland of America, Steamboat Bill, Jr. is absolutely delightful in ways that extend far beyond the spectacle, and while it isn’t always as deep as others made at the time, it still contains many strengths that feel genuinely well-earned. This is true of even the romantic sub-plot, which some have remarked feels superfluous, but even that has a very specific function that feels intentional and brilliantly captivating, carrying a sincerity that is difficult to overlook when we find ourselves situated right at the epicentre of this delightfully irreverent comedy.

Those who consider Steamboat Bill, Jr. to be Keaton’s magnum opus are certainly not too far off the mark, and while there can be arguments made for any of the dozen films he directed (as well as those in which he was only the star), this is one that perhaps best encapsulates his talents as a filmmaker and performer, being both exceptionally well-crafted and brilliantly performed, both elements existing in tandem as this film pursues something deeper and quite profound, while still striving to be as thoroughly entertaining as possible.  This film was produced nearly a century ago, and yet it still feels genuinely so refreshing and engaging – the stunts are some of the best ever committed to film, and the storyline that accompanies them are just as strong, being bound together by a director who was aware that it is not enough to simply limit himself to one particular style, and instead pursued an approach that cast a much wider and more enthralling lens, capturing the madcap energy and genuine heartfulness that makes this film such a well-crafted comedic odyssey. Keaton is considered a founding father of cinema for many reasons, and all of them are made entirely clear throughout this film – the upbeat tone, the revolutionary filmmaking practices and the earnest attention to detail are all qualities that have defined subsequent filmmaking techniques, and in terms of both style and substance, Steamboat Bill, Jr. is the very definition of a generation-defining masterpiece, and a work of absolute cinematic mastery.