To be sure, it's a little strange to hear Buster Keaton's voice, or indeed to hear anything in one of his films. Yet the "worst" that can be said is that scenes emphasizing dialogue feel like they could be from any contemporary comedy, which is no slight at all, and meanwhile we're still nonetheless treated to plentiful gags of the sort we're accustomed to from the star (if not so much his famous stunts). Most scenes are full of high energy that the excitable dialogue only adds to, and for all this, 'The passionate plumber' serves up lots of laughs all throughout its length, if maybe just not quite as robustly as its silent predecessors.
We're given a classic scenario of one of the comedian's characters bumbling his way into an ever-escalating farce, and as always, Keaton's nonplussed demeanor amidst the madness is a terrific contrast to the flamboyance required of his co-stars. It's simply a joy as a viewer to watch Irene Purcell, Mona Maris, and Gilbert Roland, among others, lean into the zest of folks who are increasingly confounded by protagonist Elmer's ignorance and low reactivity. Sight gags, situational comedy, a measure of physical comedy, exaggerated characters, a few choice quips in the talkie's dialogue, and the result is consistently fun. There might be a few points where the energy thins out or tapers off, but the effect isn't so severe as to significantly detract from the viewing experience.
Edward Sedgwick demonstrates solid capability as a director in bringing a swell screenplay to life, and all those behind the scenes made fine contributions, too, not least where the sets are concerned. Save for those sparing instances of minor lag, the comedic timing is pretty on point such that we're always kept engaged, and even at its loudest the shenanigans are never overbearing. If my words seem less than enthused, I don't intend it - only, it's hard to describe or explain a joke without ruining it, you know? Suffice to say that anyone who appreciates Keaton's most revered classics should still have a good time here, and even setting that aside, it's roundly entertaining. I know the man came to deeply regret his partnership with MGM in the years to come, yet this isn't to necessarily say it didn't produce some enjoyable movies, and I think 'The passionate plumber' is definitely one of them.
We're given a classic scenario of one of the comedian's characters bumbling his way into an ever-escalating farce, and as always, Keaton's nonplussed demeanor amidst the madness is a terrific contrast to the flamboyance required of his co-stars. It's simply a joy as a viewer to watch Irene Purcell, Mona Maris, and Gilbert Roland, among others, lean into the zest of folks who are increasingly confounded by protagonist Elmer's ignorance and low reactivity. Sight gags, situational comedy, a measure of physical comedy, exaggerated characters, a few choice quips in the talkie's dialogue, and the result is consistently fun. There might be a few points where the energy thins out or tapers off, but the effect isn't so severe as to significantly detract from the viewing experience.
Edward Sedgwick demonstrates solid capability as a director in bringing a swell screenplay to life, and all those behind the scenes made fine contributions, too, not least where the sets are concerned. Save for those sparing instances of minor lag, the comedic timing is pretty on point such that we're always kept engaged, and even at its loudest the shenanigans are never overbearing. If my words seem less than enthused, I don't intend it - only, it's hard to describe or explain a joke without ruining it, you know? Suffice to say that anyone who appreciates Keaton's most revered classics should still have a good time here, and even setting that aside, it's roundly entertaining. I know the man came to deeply regret his partnership with MGM in the years to come, yet this isn't to necessarily say it didn't produce some enjoyable movies, and I think 'The passionate plumber' is definitely one of them.