ONE WEEK

(director/writer: Edward F. Cline/Buster Keaton; cinematographer: Elgin Lessley; cast: The Groom (Buster Keaton), The Bride (Sybil Seely), Piano Mover (Joe Roberts); Runtime: 19; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Joseph M. Schenck; Kino; 1920-silent)

“Very funny slapstick two-reeler.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

After working with Fatty Arbuckle as his sidekick, the young Buster launches his career as star performer with the very funny slapstick two-reeler One Week. Buster not only stars, but co-wrote and and co-directed withEdward F. Cline. There are no stunt doubles or camera tricks, as Buster did his own stunts even though some were dangerous.

Buster marriesSybil Seely and his uncle gives him a wedding gift of a lot and a do-it-yourself kit to build a prefab house. The directions say it only takes one-week to build. Sybil’s spurned lover, Handy Hank, on the sly changes the number order of directions on the kit’s crates that contain the building materials and thereby Buster builds it in a week but it’s a crooked house. The result is doors that open into midair and walls that rotate. The couple survive living in the house after a bad windstorm, that spins it around like a merry-go-round. They are then informed by a city inspector that they built the house on the wrong lot. Buster transports it cross town by car to the correct lot, but it gets stuck on the railroad tracks. After crushed by a passing train, Buster puts up a For Sale sign and includes the directions.

REVIEWED ON 10/18/2011 GRADE: B+