Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) Director: Charles Reisner (with uncredited direction by Buster Keaton) Studio: United Artists / Buster Keaton Productions Starring: Buster Keaton (William "Steamboat Bill" Jr.), Ernest Torrence (Steamboat Bill), Marion Byron, Tom McGuire, Tom Lewis Release Date: May 12, 1928 Runtime: 71 minutes Format: Black & White | Silent | Live Action Country: United States Language: Silent (English intertitles) Genres: Silent Comedy | Romance | Action | Slapstick | Riverboat Drama --- Summary: Steamboat Bill, Jr. tells the story of a frail college boy who reunites with his gruff steamboat captain father just as their livelihood is threatened by a wealthy rival. Hoping his son will toughen up and join the riverboat business, Steamboat Bill is sorely disappointed to find William Jr. a soft-spoken dandy. But when a cyclone hits the town and all seems lost, the timid son must rise to the occasion—proving himself with daring rescues, death-defying stunts, and a whole lot of heart. Best known for its jaw-dropping practical stunts and one of the most iconic scenes in silent film history—where a house front collapses around Keaton—Steamboat Bill, Jr. blends heartfelt family drama with perfectly timed slapstick to deliver a timeless tale of courage and identity. --- Background: This was Buster Keaton’s final independently produced silent feature before he signed with MGM—a decision he would later regret. Though Steamboat Bill, Jr. underperformed at the box office upon release, it has since been reassessed as one of his finest achievements. The film is especially celebrated for its technical ambition, visual comedy, and the daring nature of Keaton’s stunts—performed without camera tricks or doubles. Filmed in Sacramento, California, the production famously constructed an entire riverside town set just to demolish it during the climactic cyclone sequence. Keaton risked his life multiple times during shooting, most notably in the “falling house” gag—executed with a real, full-sized wall and mere inches of clearance. The film has since become a staple of silent-era retrospectives and is widely studied in film schools for its innovation and physical comedy. --- Trivia: The film’s iconic wall-falling gag used a real two-ton building façade with a precisely measured open window to avoid crushing Keaton. Though Charles Reisner is credited as director, Keaton oversaw most of the staging and camera work himself. The cyclone sequence took weeks to film and used massive wind machines, flying debris, and real collapsing structures. The title and riverboat theme parody Steamboat Willie (1928), which released the same year and launched Mickey Mouse’s career. Originally a box office disappointment, the film entered the public domain and is now considered a masterpiece of silent cinema. The full film is frequently featured in restorations with newly composed musical scores. --- Hashtags: #SteamboatBillJr #BusterKeaton #SilentFilm #ClassicComedy #SlapstickLegend #1928Cinema #IconicStunts #HouseFallScene #SilentEraMasterpiece #PublicDomainFilm #RiverboatDrama #FilmHistory #OldHollywood #VaudevilleComedy #PhysicalComedy #CycloneScene #ClassicHollywood #BlackAndWhiteCinema #KeatonGenius #GoldenAgeOfFilm