THE NAVIGATOR consists mostly of a series of running gags about two spoiled rich people aboard a deserted ship, BUSTER KEATON and KATHRYN McGUIRE and their efforts to fight the elements while struggling to survive as the ship drifts along toward an island inhabited by cannibals.
All of the sight gags are ingeniously handled with the usual split timing expected of Keaton. Especially good is the scene aboard the deserted boat when he realizes there's another soul aboard, and the two keep running around the various deck levels in search of each other. Great choreography and timing involved.
And also the scene where a portrait of the ship's captain (Donald Crisp, who co-directed the film with Keaton), keeps bobbing to and fro in front of a porthole where Keaton was awakened from slumber. All of these sight gags combine to make a fast moving comedy that involves a lot of physical agility on the part of Keaton and McGuire as they get doused by lots of water and much swinging from ropes, etc.
Funniest moment: When he's laying flat on the water in his diving suit and she straddles him with an oar to make her way back to the ship and away from the cannibals.
Summing up: Not the best of Keaton, but it will do.
All of the sight gags are ingeniously handled with the usual split timing expected of Keaton. Especially good is the scene aboard the deserted boat when he realizes there's another soul aboard, and the two keep running around the various deck levels in search of each other. Great choreography and timing involved.
And also the scene where a portrait of the ship's captain (Donald Crisp, who co-directed the film with Keaton), keeps bobbing to and fro in front of a porthole where Keaton was awakened from slumber. All of these sight gags combine to make a fast moving comedy that involves a lot of physical agility on the part of Keaton and McGuire as they get doused by lots of water and much swinging from ropes, etc.
Funniest moment: When he's laying flat on the water in his diving suit and she straddles him with an oar to make her way back to the ship and away from the cannibals.
Summing up: Not the best of Keaton, but it will do.