Buster Keaton: One Week 1920 Silent film
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 Published On Premiered Sep 3, 2023

In the 1920 silent film "One Week," Buster Keaton stars as a newlywed who receives a build-it-yourself house as a wedding gift. Directed by Buster Keaton and Edward F. Cline, the film delves into the hilariously chaotic attempts by Keaton and his new bride to construct their new home.

The comedy kicks off when it is revealed that Keaton's character has mistakenly mixed up the numbers on the crates containing the house parts, due to sabotage by a romantic rival. This results in a home that is anything but ordinary: walls tilt at odd angles, windows are in the wrong places, and the whole structure seems perpetually on the verge of collapse. What's supposed to be a simple, straightforward project becomes a series of slapstick disasters, as the couple battles everything from broken materials to natural disasters, including a storm that spins the house around.

The film's humor also comes from the interactions between Keaton's character and his wife, played by Sybil Seely, as they navigate their way through the first week of wedded bliss and domestic turmoil. Their trials culminate in a hilarious sequence involving a bathtub, several near-miss accidents, and ultimately the total destruction of their bizarre domicile.

At just 19 minutes, "One Week" is a short film but it packs in plenty of physical comedy and sight gags, all presented without dialogue in true silent film fashion. It remains one of Buster Keaton's most famous and enduring works, encapsulating his genius for combining physical comedy with a genuinely touching story.

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