Our Hospitality (1923)

The horse-woman gag, and somehow not the stunt work, is what made me finally accept that Keaton > Chaplin

Buster Keaton is the young "Willie McKay" who is returning home to his Appalachian home when he meets and immediately takes a shine to "Virginia Canfield" (Natalie Talmadge). Now these surnames make an huge difference to their chances of any relationship. Like the "Montague" and "Capulet" families of old, there is a vendetta that's been running for generations and that isn't going to end because these two fall in love. Indeed, when he visits their home, he discovers that the "Canfield" family have taken quite a drastic vow that could put an end to poor old "Willie" altogether! His saving grace is that they will not break the laws of hospitality, so he has to start thinking of ways of staying put - forever! Can he get his gal? Can he even keep breathing? This has plenty of traditional comedy stunts, a dynamited dam and slapstick fisticuffs but it's the trains that steal it for me. There are an astonishing, and entertaining, selection of contraptions that run on rails here for Keaton to use for travel and to maybe even escape his pursuers. People sedately seated in carriages filled with black smoke does raise a smile. The story itself does run a little too much to melodrama for me at times - but that was perhaps not helped by the rather soporific accompaniment that let it drag a bit. Great outdoor production though and a star who is very much at the top of his game makes for an engaging and enjoyable watch.