Keaton's Silent Shorts: Beyond the Laughter

Chapter 4: The Scarecrow

na,fer4 The Scarecrow (December 1920) Courtesy of the Academy of MO lion Piclure An i and Sciences O nereviewerofTheScarecrowannounced that "without parallel .. . is the phenomenal risc of Buster Keaton. In many parts of the country exhibitions make Keaton the whole allOw fora week, playing tile Keaton feature ITheSapheaJJalong with a Keaton comic ty,o-reeler."· The Scarecrow reveals yet another facet of Buster's The Scarecrow persona set in a fantastical playground of inventions that Keaton must have relished. Together, Buster and Joe Roberts spin out transformations in a pastoral setting that spoofs melodrama as much as it rejoices in ro~ mance. Pastoral poetry is harpooned with the opening title and expository shot: SLOWLY AND MAJESTICALLY THE SUN STEALS GRADUALLY OVER THE HILLTOPS . A white box house nestled amid trees behind a picket fence fades into view in an extreme long shot; clouds laze in the sky. The bright orb of the sun "steals" indeed-in [1st-motion from behind the house and straight up the sky, hitting high noon in two seconds. ALL THE ROOMS IN THIS HOUSE ARE IN ONE ROOM. The curious paradox (all rooms = one room) of the second title of the film establishes the tone for the wondrous transformations /equations of the next sequence, once an establishing shot and incidental business introduce our heroes. After a closer cut to the house, we cut to the "multiroom" where Buster moans at the foot of his bed, a handkerchief knotted around his head like rabbit ears. His roommate (Joe Roberts), considering a tie to wear, opts to wrap his shoelace under his ample collarboard (Transformation 1: shoelace = tie). Joe's hand reaches into a medium close-up to turn the mirror; on the reverse is a photograph of Sybil Seeley (Transformation 2: mirror = picture frame). We crosscut for actions/ reactions: Joe kisses the picture, Buster stares, Joe gushes, Buster clasps the picture to his chest. The two boys in one shot instantly portray their rivalry. Joe towers over Buster who announces in sublime convolution: "I DON'T CARE HOW SHE VOTES-I'M GOING TO MARRY HER." Despite the friction, Joe comforts his buddy over his tooth. Transformation 3: Joe = dentist. He extends a string between Buster's tooth and the doorknob. Buster's responses to the extraction are eloquently nonverbal, particularly during a "conversation" between Joe outside the house and Buster within. Joe bellows: "ARE YOU READY?" Buster shakes his head. A door slam extracts Buster's tooth, which he tucks into his vest pocket. Thus, Transformation (4) of a Transformation (3): door = dentist. Unexpected changes continue to layer the sequence. From under a chest, Buster pulls a tray of buns to slide into it (Transformation 5: chest = oven). He lifts the top of the chest to uncover a turntable (Transformation 6: chest/oven = victrola). He hangs a record on a wall hook (Transformation 7: wall = record-cabinet) and lifts the turntable to reveal a burner (Transformation 8: chest/oven/Victrola = stove). With Buster's order to "SET THE TABLE," transformations increase in rapid orchestration. The Scarecrow Joe unfastens a rope on the wall to lower four bowls and shakers, each balanced by weights, from the ceiling (Transformation 9: ceiling = cupboard ). He unhinges a side lock on a bookcase to open an icebox door (Transformation 10). Filling a tiny checkered wagon on the table with fruit and butter, he calls out Transformation 11 as a verbal simile: "HURRY UP! MY STOMACH IS AS EMPTY AS A SALOON." Buster pours coffee by pulling a long spout from the side of the pot over the cup-like a railroad engine watering spout (Transformation 12), then piles buns into the wagon "train." In a lengthy long shot, we witness a symbolic Transformation 13: simple meal = aerial/surface choreography. As part of the ballet, Buster does not even sit in simple fashion but swings his leg over the back of the chair. Joe symmetrically balances the opposite end of the frame by sitting across from Buster. Each following activity perpetuates the visual balance within the frame, either through pulling ropes and objects or through the boys' interactions. They tug the chuck wagon the length of the table or crisscross shakers and bowls through the air to each other. Buster hurls a tomato that Joe catches on his fork and stuffs into his mouth. Buster opens the top of the icebox with one rope while manipulating a milk...