Silent films express more than words can

Buster Keaton was a creative giant of the silent film era. His subtle, dead-pan humor ranks with the best of comedy. A single twitch of his eye says a thousand words. \nLast Friday you could see Keaton in one of his best films, "The Cameraman" (1928), which played as part of the City Lights Film Series. The series plays classic movies every Friday at 7 p.m. in Ballantine Hall, room 013. All viewings are free to the public. \nKeaton plays a sidewalk New York photographer making a grim living taking "tintype" pictures of passersby for dimes. He runs into the beautiful Sally (Marceline Day) in a crowded parade. He instantly falls in love, offers to take her picture, and tails her like a young puppy to her workplace. Sally works as a secretary in a newsreel office, and Keaton throws himself into the business in an attempt to win her affections. He buys a beat-up movie camera and takes off to the streets of New York in search of stories. \nUnfortunately, he's a bumbling fool, but at least he's a loveable fool (that's the best kind). In one sequence he heads off to the Yankee's stadium when the team is playing in St. Louis. Not wanting to waste the day, he decides to play out a whole game by himself, pretending to be all the players. \nHe does end up winning a date, but everything typically goes wrong. And Keaton spends the remainder of the film hilariously trying to redeem himself. He gains a monkey for a sidekick, films a crazed gunfight in Chinatown and still manages to save the day. \nLike Chaplin, Keaton is a classic charming but poor and none-too-bright hero. But his is a controlled humor. He expresses his characters more through patience and silence than through excessive action. \nThis is the last film Keaton had total creative control over. And it's a testament to his greatness. If you enjoy classic movies, or even romantic comedies, consider watching "The Cameraman"