BEING ONE OF those less than super-budgeted shorts that Jules White produced while he was the head of Columbia Pictures' Short Subjects Department, this picture, GENERAL NUISANCE, is nonetheless fairly well known; at least among those of us who entered the World during that period affectionately known as "The Post War Baby Boom."
THE REASON FOR this is a sort of indirect, unintentionally generated cause. It was included with the package of 2 reelers released to the television market by Columbia Pictures. In addition to Mr. Keaton's work, the package contained the work of Andy Clyde, Harry Langdon and some others. It also had the multitude of shorts made by the 3 Stooges; which was the main driving force behind the success of the films to a generation of rug-rats who were totally unfamiliar with them.
ALL AROUND THE country, just about every TV market had its own THREE STOOGES Show. In our case, here in Chicago, it was WGN TV, Channel 9, which had daily a daily Stooges program beginning in early in 1959. In filling out the programming time, the station would also include other comedy shorts, the Keaton Columbia shorts were among them.*
AS FOR THIS picture, it has much to recommend it. Inspite of the fact that it had this shoestring budget and that Buster Keaton was viewed as somewhat of a has been, the short is a fine example of what even a little picture could be.
TO BEGIN WITH, there is a great deal of similarity in premise and structure to so many of the now considered brilliant. As for a plot, it's virtually thread-bare, involving the rich man, Buster, and his car being broken down. He meets two ladies (Dorothy Appleby and Elsie Ames, who are nurses heading for the nearby Army Camp. The rich guy, this Peter Hedley Lamar, Jr., decides to enlist in order to get next to Nurse Dorothy; although it is Nurse Elsie who has eyes for him.
THE MOVIE WAS released about 3 months before Pearl Harbor was attacked and the Nation was "celebrating" our first Peacetime Draft. Just about every standard sort of "in the Army Now" gag was employed; especially when it came to the area of medical examinations.
THE STUNTS WHICH are employed both by Keaton and Miss Ames are outstanding and demonstrated how Buster's physical skills had not diminished. Elsie Ames also does some fine work in this area and must have had background in gymnastics and eccentric dance.
AS FAR AS the contrast between the two girls, it was strictly clichéd. Miss Appleby was (at least on screen) the "pretty" and more desirable. Elsie Ames' characterizations were that of the less glamorous but man crazy type as comic relief. The two would reprise these roles in several of the Columbia Keaton two reelers.
IT IS WELL known how Keaton was a true genius when it came to comedy production and the construction of the sight gag. But that was not where his talents ended. He also enjoyed word play as exemplified by his use of the written word in title cards, such as: 4 Flushing Place (fore flushing) in COPS (1922), name of ship Damfino (damed if I know) in THE NAVIGATOR and others.
IN THIS LATTER day production, he gave his character the name Peter Hedley Lamar (obvious lampoon of actress Hedy Lamar). Well, that must b where Mel Brooks got the name for Harvey Korman's character in BLAZING SADDLES (1974).
BUT THAT'S OKAY, Mel, we forgive you. We know you did it to honor Buster!
NOTE * In addition to the Stooges and the Columbia Shorts, we were treated to RKO Short subjects with Billy Gilbert, Benny Rubin and Gil Lamb.