24 reviews
An early Buster Keaton short, this begins with Buster attempting to play golf and obviously not being too familiar with how to play the game. Where else but in a silent comedy can you see a golfer trying to hit the ball out of a lake while standing on a raft...and then diving in for fish to find out which fish swallowed his golf ball?! Keaton gets it on the third try and gives the fish a spanking after retrieving the ball! Insane stuff, as that's just the first five minutes!
Along comes an escaped convict (crazy things just happen out of the blue in a lot of these old silent comedies) who sees Buster lying the ground, having knocked himself out with a golf ball. The convict switches clothing and now Buster is wearing stripes. Cops notice him (HE didn't notice what he was wearing?!) and begin chasing him. Buster winds up back at the penitentiary. Since he's wearing number 13 on his jail outfit, he's scheduled to be hanged the next day. His girlfriend saves him by putting elastic gymnasium rope in place of the noose, so Buster bounces up and down after the trap door operates. Watching all of this are the other inmates who are sitting in bleachers while a vendor sells peanuts and popcorn.
It goes on from there, with a prison riot the next day and Buster and some humongous goon knocking out a bunch of uniformed guards and the other prisoners via some strange methods. It's pure disjointed chaos but it makes for a wild and fun 20-minute film.
Along comes an escaped convict (crazy things just happen out of the blue in a lot of these old silent comedies) who sees Buster lying the ground, having knocked himself out with a golf ball. The convict switches clothing and now Buster is wearing stripes. Cops notice him (HE didn't notice what he was wearing?!) and begin chasing him. Buster winds up back at the penitentiary. Since he's wearing number 13 on his jail outfit, he's scheduled to be hanged the next day. His girlfriend saves him by putting elastic gymnasium rope in place of the noose, so Buster bounces up and down after the trap door operates. Watching all of this are the other inmates who are sitting in bleachers while a vendor sells peanuts and popcorn.
It goes on from there, with a prison riot the next day and Buster and some humongous goon knocking out a bunch of uniformed guards and the other prisoners via some strange methods. It's pure disjointed chaos but it makes for a wild and fun 20-minute film.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Sep 15, 2006
- Permalink
Buster is out golfing with his girlfriend when Convict 13 escapes. The whistle sounding the alarm at the jail is mistaken by his caddy as the lunch whistle, and he sits down and begins to eat. Buster continues on alone to golf, single-minded, when a ball he hits ricochets off a building and hits him in the head, rendering him unconscious. The escaped convict sees Buster lying there and changes clothes with him. Buster regains consciousness and continues to golf, not noticing that he is wearing a convict's uniform until the armed guards appear to apprehend him. He manages to land himself in jail without the guards capturing him. He hits some luck when his girlfriend sees him there - she turns out to be the warden's daughter. But unfortunately for Buster, Convict 13 is scheduled to be hung that day.
Sybil Seely, who is the girlfriend here was also the bride in Keaton's "One Week". A large trouble-making convict is played by Big Joe Roberts who played burly villains in a multitude of Keaton films. The dog that appears here and steals Buster's golf balls was not Luke, Fatty Arbuckle's dog, who did appear in one Keaton short after he and Arbuckle went their separate professional ways.
Not as well known as Cops from two years later, it has a similar structure and some common gags, and is definitely worth watching. And even though there are much better safeguards against executing the wrong person today, Keaton's comedy has really lost nothing in the century that has passed.
Sybil Seely, who is the girlfriend here was also the bride in Keaton's "One Week". A large trouble-making convict is played by Big Joe Roberts who played burly villains in a multitude of Keaton films. The dog that appears here and steals Buster's golf balls was not Luke, Fatty Arbuckle's dog, who did appear in one Keaton short after he and Arbuckle went their separate professional ways.
Not as well known as Cops from two years later, it has a similar structure and some common gags, and is definitely worth watching. And even though there are much better safeguards against executing the wrong person today, Keaton's comedy has really lost nothing in the century that has passed.
- theowinthrop
- Apr 19, 2008
- Permalink
- Polaris_DiB
- Jun 25, 2006
- Permalink
- planktonrules
- May 24, 2007
- Permalink
"Convict 13" is an unrefined but fun short comedy, much less carefully made than Keaton's later films, but still having many good moments. Buster gets a couple of good opportunities to display his athleticism, and Joe Roberts also helps out with some funny moments.
The story starts with a silly mix-up that gets Buster tossed in jail. From there on, he gets involved in a series of antics, mostly improbable, but a very good set-up for physical humor. It has a good combination of slapstick, stunts, and chases, with some of the kind of material common to films of the 1910's plus some distinctive Keaton material. (There are also couple of good gags of the more morbid type that you'd expect from someone like Alfred Hitchcock.)
It might be of interest mainly to those who are already Keaton fans, but it's pretty funny, and well worth watching.
The story starts with a silly mix-up that gets Buster tossed in jail. From there on, he gets involved in a series of antics, mostly improbable, but a very good set-up for physical humor. It has a good combination of slapstick, stunts, and chases, with some of the kind of material common to films of the 1910's plus some distinctive Keaton material. (There are also couple of good gags of the more morbid type that you'd expect from someone like Alfred Hitchcock.)
It might be of interest mainly to those who are already Keaton fans, but it's pretty funny, and well worth watching.
- Snow Leopard
- Aug 2, 2001
- Permalink
A prisoner escapes from prison and steals and changes clothes of a golf player (Buster Keaton). The policemen wrongly arrest the player instead and once in prison, he realizes that he is going to be hanged in the afternoon. The player swaps clothes with a guard and fights against a rebellion in the prison.
"Convict 13" is a very naive and silly, but also funny Buster Keaton's short comedy. The gags are very similar to Charles Chaplin style, and most of the time the situation looks like a cartoon. It is not among my favorite works of Buster Keaton, but it worth watching and it is a good entertainment. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Condenado No 13" ("The Convict no. 13")
"Convict 13" is a very naive and silly, but also funny Buster Keaton's short comedy. The gags are very similar to Charles Chaplin style, and most of the time the situation looks like a cartoon. It is not among my favorite works of Buster Keaton, but it worth watching and it is a good entertainment. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Condenado No 13" ("The Convict no. 13")
- claudio_carvalho
- Oct 29, 2005
- Permalink
Like many Keaton shorts, the plot is only a vehicle for Keaton to explore his imagination and to give him an opportunity to devise clever gags. When one watches a short such as this, it is important to think of it as a cartoon. It is not meant to be Citizen Kane, but only to be visually entertaining and to keep the audience guessing as to what Buster will do next. His physical comedy is wonderful here and I can't help but think that the creators of the Warner Brothers cartoons were great Buster Keaton fans. Keaton's reaction when he realizes that a burly convict whom he had just antagonized escaped from his cell and is standing right behind him is priceless, right down to Buster's cartoonish exaggerated heartbeat. This is followed by a move that would make Jackie Chan jealous. Convict 13 succeeds brilliantly at its goal and much of the humor is timeless. If you have the proper expectations, you will really enjoy this film.
Buster Keaton short Convict 13 is as close to a live-action cartoon as you could get: it's one crazy scene after another, with only the slightest of plots to tie all of the scattershot comedy together.
The film opens on a golf course, as Keaton struggles with his game, landing his shot in a lake. He doesn't give up though, climbing onto some wood, paddling out with his club, and diving into the water to retrieve the ball, which has been swallowed by a fish. Having found the ball, he continues his round, but knocks himself out when a shot rebounds and hits him on the head. While Keaton is unconscious, an escaped convict swaps clothes with the golfer; moments later, guards arrive and take Keaton-now wearing distinctive striped prison-wear-back to pokey where he is to be hanged.
From here-in, it's rapid sight gags and buffoonery galore, with an elastic noose preventing Keaton's neck from being stretched, and a prison riot leading to all kinds of silliness, including an altercation with a gigantic inmate (Keaton still in danger, having swapped his prison garb for that of a guard). There's loads of fun to be had, with never a dull minute in the whole thing, which makes it easy to excuse the rather abrupt 'it was all a dream' ending.
7/10.
The film opens on a golf course, as Keaton struggles with his game, landing his shot in a lake. He doesn't give up though, climbing onto some wood, paddling out with his club, and diving into the water to retrieve the ball, which has been swallowed by a fish. Having found the ball, he continues his round, but knocks himself out when a shot rebounds and hits him on the head. While Keaton is unconscious, an escaped convict swaps clothes with the golfer; moments later, guards arrive and take Keaton-now wearing distinctive striped prison-wear-back to pokey where he is to be hanged.
From here-in, it's rapid sight gags and buffoonery galore, with an elastic noose preventing Keaton's neck from being stretched, and a prison riot leading to all kinds of silliness, including an altercation with a gigantic inmate (Keaton still in danger, having swapped his prison garb for that of a guard). There's loads of fun to be had, with never a dull minute in the whole thing, which makes it easy to excuse the rather abrupt 'it was all a dream' ending.
7/10.
- BA_Harrison
- Aug 6, 2021
- Permalink
I'd like to add to Claudio's plot synopsis that this film is total surrealism. I was so struck by its superficial resemblance to reality but the story is really taking place in a crazy imaginary world where Keaton as the golfer can grab a fish out of the river (when the ball is knocked there), shake it around and have his golf ball pop out the fish's mouth. The film has a charm all it's own - so different from what Chaplin or Harold Lloyd were doing. I wonder if the European Dadaists were looking at Keaton's early stuff. The time frame is just right. The film is available, by the way,on the Kino Steamboat Bill Jr. DVD. But in an unrestored version, alas.
- mark.waltz
- Mar 6, 2017
- Permalink
I've seen better Buster Keaton short films, but this one still manages to portray the rather dreary fate of a man who finds himself in prison because an escaped convict switched clothes with him after he knocked himself unconscious with a golf ball. His is ultimately to be hung, and I think the film deserves respect for keeping you laughing even while a man gets a noose wrapped around his neck. The story involves Keaton's efforts to escape from the prison, oppressed at first by the prison guards holding him prisoner and then by a massive behemoth of a convict, who takes control of the small prison by knocking out all of the guards with a sledge hammer (in a rather entertaining sequence where he smacks them all one by one and they pile up like the police cars in Blues Brothers 2000) at right about the same time that Keaton manages to switch clothes with one of them in order to help himself escape. Lots of clever slapstick gags, some of which may have influenced Chaplin's work in Pay Day, made a couple years later, make this an entertaining short from one of the giants of silent film comedy.
- Anonymous_Maxine
- Jan 13, 2006
- Permalink
Buster Keaton stars as a golf player who is mistaken with escaped prisoner. After the golfing accident that knocks Buster unconscious, an escaped convict changes clothes with him. When Buster wakes up, he finds himself wearing prison convict clothes and being chased by the prisoner. After he is captures, he finds out he is about to being hanged, so Buster must find a way to escape from the jail.
Although not Keaton's best movie, 'Convict 13' includes plenty of laughs and action to be highly entertaining film. Being well known fact that Jackie Chan is huge Keaton fan one can see many similarities between the stunts performed in this movie and the ones Jackie does.
20 minutes non-stop enjoyable action.
Although not Keaton's best movie, 'Convict 13' includes plenty of laughs and action to be highly entertaining film. Being well known fact that Jackie Chan is huge Keaton fan one can see many similarities between the stunts performed in this movie and the ones Jackie does.
20 minutes non-stop enjoyable action.
- SendiTolver
- Sep 4, 2018
- Permalink
This early Buster Keaton short is filled with basic, crude, unoriginal slapstick scenes. Though mildly entertaining and not unfunny, it's a far cry from Keaton's future sophisticated ingenuity. If it wasn't for the fact that he was to evolve into the brilliant movie icon that he is, these early films would most certainly not have been restored at all.
Convict 13 is particularly notable for its sheer violence. Gun shooting, hammer slapping, cannonball slinging, body throwing... No whining about the bruises guys!
Best joke: the golf ball eating fish.
Convict 13 is particularly notable for its sheer violence. Gun shooting, hammer slapping, cannonball slinging, body throwing... No whining about the bruises guys!
Best joke: the golf ball eating fish.
A mugged golfer, spanked fish, love story, a hang and the genius of Keaton. One of clever stories telling not exactly adventures of an unlocky man but translating, in the most inspired manner, the spirit of a time. A film so intense than it becomes a magnificent travel across appearences and honor and missunderstandings, proposing the hero portrait in a seductive way.
- Kirpianuscus
- Feb 1, 2019
- Permalink
Buster spanks a fish for swallowing his golf ball in the setup to this one. There isn't a lot of creativity in the gags otherwise, and the funniest moments might be the big convict (Joe Roberts) taking out guard after guard, or Buster turning the tables and wailing away at prisoners with a tether ball. He does get a sweet little romantic moment in, putting a small towel down before getting down on a knee and declaring his love to Sybil Seely's character. I love those kinds of moments from him.
- gbill-74877
- Apr 4, 2021
- Permalink
Convict 13 is definetly one of Buster's better shorts. Fatty Arbuckle is rather oddly absent in this one (probably too busy dealing with the Virginia Rappe case at this point), and his presence is greatly missed. He would have added much to this film. There are some brilliant sight gags, like I said, particularely involving the crowd of coppers chasing Buster around and almost every frame of the scenes at the gallows. It was the ending that more or less let me down. I won't reveal it. I just think it was too abrupt and convenient. It was disappointingly unresourceful, compared to the rest of Keaton's work, which is put on display quite nicely in all the other scenes. One of the best moments is in the very beginning and involves a pond and a golf ball and a piece of drift wood (and a golf club used as an oar).
- Kieran_Kenney
- Aug 13, 2003
- Permalink
Convict 13 has an interesting concept; here, our Buster is totally hell- bent on getting his ball to its hole and literally fishes out the golf ball from a fish's little mouth when his ball drops into the lake. His game is interrupted when a convict escaping death row finds Buster unconscious (after one of his attempts at golf gone awry) and swaps clothes with him to make it seem as if Buster's the real convict. There's a sparkling sequence where Buster, unaware that he is wearing prisoner's uniform, readies himself to hit the ball as two cops stand to his left and right looking incredulously at him.
On realizing the change in his appearance, he gives them a slip and does manage to evade the not-so-bright cops until he finds shelter in a prison! Then begins the prison saga, beginning with Buster meeting the love of his life - the socialite daughter of the prison guard – who tries to save Buster from death by switching the hanging noose with exercise rope. Another unforeseeable circumstance – a heavyset prisoner creating chaos in prison – leads to further mayhem. We wait and watch how Buster wriggles his way through each problem only to land into another until the film finds a fitting resolution to his tale.
Along with The High Sign, Convict 13 is probably one of my favorite Keaton shorts. It's like a harmless firecracker that sets off a chain of bombs, missiles and then the nuclear weapon itself! What was especially marvelous about watching Keaton was that while his character always had a smart solution for his problem, he never anticipated the possibility of a worse problem to occur. Consider the scene where he tries to escape from the army of cops; Buster walks in front of them as they follow him like a marching army, so when Buster turns in the opposite direction the cops stupidly follow turn along with him. That's when Buster sneakily escapes and finally hides behind a gate. Before he can take a sigh of relief, he turns to see where he is and finds out that he has reached right into a prison.
Later, when there's a riot in the prison and all the guards have been beaten unconscious by the burly cop, our Buster, again in dark about the riot, tries escaping the cops by knocking out one and wearing his uniform. He confidently enters the section wearing prison guard uniform, where the burly prisoner's waiting to knock him down thinking he's a cop. But Buster's not a prisoner and neither is he a cop; he is no professional golf player either so what is he?
This is answered in the next short: The High Sign. He's a man going nowhere, you'll find him anywhere and he'll land up somewhere. In a way, he's a wandering gypsy living probably the most adventurous life you can imagine. He's very unlucky, as evident by the number 13 given to his prisoner, but he never loses hope that he'll find a way out almost.
On realizing the change in his appearance, he gives them a slip and does manage to evade the not-so-bright cops until he finds shelter in a prison! Then begins the prison saga, beginning with Buster meeting the love of his life - the socialite daughter of the prison guard – who tries to save Buster from death by switching the hanging noose with exercise rope. Another unforeseeable circumstance – a heavyset prisoner creating chaos in prison – leads to further mayhem. We wait and watch how Buster wriggles his way through each problem only to land into another until the film finds a fitting resolution to his tale.
Along with The High Sign, Convict 13 is probably one of my favorite Keaton shorts. It's like a harmless firecracker that sets off a chain of bombs, missiles and then the nuclear weapon itself! What was especially marvelous about watching Keaton was that while his character always had a smart solution for his problem, he never anticipated the possibility of a worse problem to occur. Consider the scene where he tries to escape from the army of cops; Buster walks in front of them as they follow him like a marching army, so when Buster turns in the opposite direction the cops stupidly follow turn along with him. That's when Buster sneakily escapes and finally hides behind a gate. Before he can take a sigh of relief, he turns to see where he is and finds out that he has reached right into a prison.
Later, when there's a riot in the prison and all the guards have been beaten unconscious by the burly cop, our Buster, again in dark about the riot, tries escaping the cops by knocking out one and wearing his uniform. He confidently enters the section wearing prison guard uniform, where the burly prisoner's waiting to knock him down thinking he's a cop. But Buster's not a prisoner and neither is he a cop; he is no professional golf player either so what is he?
This is answered in the next short: The High Sign. He's a man going nowhere, you'll find him anywhere and he'll land up somewhere. In a way, he's a wandering gypsy living probably the most adventurous life you can imagine. He's very unlucky, as evident by the number 13 given to his prisoner, but he never loses hope that he'll find a way out almost.
- sashank_kini-1
- Jun 3, 2013
- Permalink
- MissSimonetta
- Mar 28, 2014
- Permalink
- Horst_In_Translation
- Jun 27, 2015
- Permalink
- weezeralfalfa
- Sep 5, 2018
- Permalink
Convict 13 (1920)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Buster Keaton gets mistaken for a convict and must find a way to break out of prison before they hang him. Here's another middle of the road short from Keaton, which features plenty of small laughs but not enough to make this one of his better films. Highlights include the scene where he tries to catch the fish who ate his golf ball as well as the scene where they go to hang him.
Daydreams (1922)
*** (out of 4)
Before a father will let him marry his daughter Buster Keaton must go into the city to try and find a good job. Once in the city Buster finds it impossible to keep a job and soon has the police chasing him. Here's a pretty good short that has several nice laughs including a suicide attempt plus another scene with Keaton working on the stage. The stuff dealing with a parade is another highlight.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Buster Keaton gets mistaken for a convict and must find a way to break out of prison before they hang him. Here's another middle of the road short from Keaton, which features plenty of small laughs but not enough to make this one of his better films. Highlights include the scene where he tries to catch the fish who ate his golf ball as well as the scene where they go to hang him.
Daydreams (1922)
*** (out of 4)
Before a father will let him marry his daughter Buster Keaton must go into the city to try and find a good job. Once in the city Buster finds it impossible to keep a job and soon has the police chasing him. Here's a pretty good short that has several nice laughs including a suicide attempt plus another scene with Keaton working on the stage. The stuff dealing with a parade is another highlight.
- Michael_Elliott
- Mar 12, 2008
- Permalink
Buster Keaton walks straight into trouble, numerous times, as a wayward golfer who's mistaken for an escaped convict and summarily shuffled back to prison for an afternoon date with the gallows. There, another happenstance wardrobe change sees him dressed as a guard, just in time for a well-organized (and violent) breakout attempt.
As usual, Keaton will often stumble into a tough situation and then stumble right back out again, usually left blissfully unaware of both the predicament and its solution, which makes for great, cartoony visual comedy. He's come prepared with a bushel of fresh ideas this time, largely playing on the unique scenery of a prison yard, but he also works in a series of callbacks which tie the whole fable together. That's a new thing for Buster, who'd been content to breathlessly sprint through one-off gags up to this point, and a sign of maturing talent. We don't scoff at the repetition when that elastic noose finds its way back into the scene; we remember the original goof, appreciate the inventive new application and laugh twice as hard.
Its beginning and ending might be re-heated leftovers from earlier films, but Convict 13 is a bonafide side-splitter while it's behind bars. Simple fun, clever and unpredictable, with another delightfully over-the-top (yet oddly subdued) feature performance from the burgeoning silent movie star.
As usual, Keaton will often stumble into a tough situation and then stumble right back out again, usually left blissfully unaware of both the predicament and its solution, which makes for great, cartoony visual comedy. He's come prepared with a bushel of fresh ideas this time, largely playing on the unique scenery of a prison yard, but he also works in a series of callbacks which tie the whole fable together. That's a new thing for Buster, who'd been content to breathlessly sprint through one-off gags up to this point, and a sign of maturing talent. We don't scoff at the repetition when that elastic noose finds its way back into the scene; we remember the original goof, appreciate the inventive new application and laugh twice as hard.
Its beginning and ending might be re-heated leftovers from earlier films, but Convict 13 is a bonafide side-splitter while it's behind bars. Simple fun, clever and unpredictable, with another delightfully over-the-top (yet oddly subdued) feature performance from the burgeoning silent movie star.
- drqshadow-reviews
- Oct 16, 2020
- Permalink
Have held Buster Keaton in very high regard for a while now. He was daring in his athleticism and did inventive stunts that even Charlie Chaplin (another comedy genius at the time) probably wouldn't have been as brave at even attempting them. He is also one of the few actors in comedy to make the deadpan style of acting look good. While the premise is not an original one, it sounded fun, being somebody that has liked to loved a lot of Keaton's short and feature films.
'Convict 13' is not one of Keaton's best and is not an essential, there was a sense that Keaton's style had not fully matured yet somewhat. It is still a lot of fun having said that and one can definitely see Keaton's appeal watching it. There are a lot of things done brilliantly in 'Convict 13', with it being very funny and Keaton is on good form, it just feels as well like there was something missing from the equation (a stronger story in particular would have helped it have more impact).
The story is the weak link. Keaton short and feature films are not to be seen for the story, figured that out some time ago, and the story here in 'Convict 13' is very thin and sometimes improbable. While Sybil Seeley is sweet and charming, her character didn't feel necessary and felt more like a plot device.
Am also with those that didn't care for the ending. It is too abrupt, too pat and have always found these type of endings too much of a cheat and 'Convict 13' does nothing to change my mind.
On the other hand, 'Convict 13' looks good if not innovative visually and the prison setting is put to good use. Keaton would go on to better things when his material became wilder and bolder, but he is still great. The beautifully timed and daringly performed physical comedy wows and excites (if not quite making the jaw drop worthy) and even at this point of his career his mastery at deadpan is evident. Joe Roberts' craziness is both entertaining and intimidatingly insane.
Furthermore, the first five minutes alone are a sheer delight. The golf section is brilliant and would have liked to have seen more of it actually. All the gags are very funny throughout but especially in this section where they come thick and fast and stand out. The cops chasing Keaton is also laugh out loud funny. The story may not have wowed me, but it was never dull and there is something immensely charming at the wonderfully weird surrealism.
In summary, not one of Keaton's best but very nice still. 8/10
'Convict 13' is not one of Keaton's best and is not an essential, there was a sense that Keaton's style had not fully matured yet somewhat. It is still a lot of fun having said that and one can definitely see Keaton's appeal watching it. There are a lot of things done brilliantly in 'Convict 13', with it being very funny and Keaton is on good form, it just feels as well like there was something missing from the equation (a stronger story in particular would have helped it have more impact).
The story is the weak link. Keaton short and feature films are not to be seen for the story, figured that out some time ago, and the story here in 'Convict 13' is very thin and sometimes improbable. While Sybil Seeley is sweet and charming, her character didn't feel necessary and felt more like a plot device.
Am also with those that didn't care for the ending. It is too abrupt, too pat and have always found these type of endings too much of a cheat and 'Convict 13' does nothing to change my mind.
On the other hand, 'Convict 13' looks good if not innovative visually and the prison setting is put to good use. Keaton would go on to better things when his material became wilder and bolder, but he is still great. The beautifully timed and daringly performed physical comedy wows and excites (if not quite making the jaw drop worthy) and even at this point of his career his mastery at deadpan is evident. Joe Roberts' craziness is both entertaining and intimidatingly insane.
Furthermore, the first five minutes alone are a sheer delight. The golf section is brilliant and would have liked to have seen more of it actually. All the gags are very funny throughout but especially in this section where they come thick and fast and stand out. The cops chasing Keaton is also laugh out loud funny. The story may not have wowed me, but it was never dull and there is something immensely charming at the wonderfully weird surrealism.
In summary, not one of Keaton's best but very nice still. 8/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 16, 2020
- Permalink