College
In “College,” Buster Keaton tells a story he told in just about every film he made: a young man is enamored by a woman, and then moves Heaven and earth to make his dream a reality. This basic idea is the spine of all of Keaton’s films– it’s only in the setting, and set pieces, where things get really interesting, and funny to go with the sweetness of Keaton’s fundamental romanticism.
Here, he plays a high school graduate, at the top of his class, who thinks academics is more important than athletics. Whether he has a point or not is irrelevant; what is important is that he has a crush on the most popular girl in his graduating class, who is going to college in the fall. Unfortunately, she can’t abide by his feelings for athletics, but if his views change, she’s willing to give him a look. He can’t afford college himself, but he tries to go anyway, working his way through. Once there, he tries a number of sports, and that’s where the comedy begins.
“College” is second-tier Keaton at best, but it’s the central narrative of Keaton’s character, overcoming adversity, and getting the girl, who isn’t quite as shallow as I made her out to be in the second paragraph, in the end, that makes the movie an enduring treat. There are big missteps, such as when Keaton’s character dons blackface to work at a restaurant, but there are also big laughs, especially the finale, where Buster has to improvise while rowing crew. It’s easy to appreciate something as simple and amusing as “College,” even if it doesn’t reach the great, imaginative heights of “Sherlock Jr.,” “The General,” or “Our Hospitality,” and that’s because of Keaton’s natural comedic mastery, and warm romantic heart. You don’t get many combinations like that anymore.
