Buster Keaton Remembered (2001)

I’ve mentioned this book in other posts about Buster Keaton biographical material, but it’s high time this excellent biography got a write-up of its own.  Penned largely by Eleanor Keaton (Buster’s third wife,) along with cinematic historian Jeffrey Vance, the comprehensive volume contains anecdotes and memories from all over Buster’s fascinating life.

Like the previously-reviewed My WonderfulWorld of Slapstick and Bluffton, the book thrives on its wonderful retellings of the many larger-than-life things that Buster did and experienced.  From the personal, such as Buster’s attempts to get his then-girlfriend to break up with him after he fell for Eleanor (it involved dangling a strapping young wrestler in front of her,) to the professional, like the years it took Buster to realize he’d broken his neck while filming Sherlock Jr., it offers a colorful, entertaining cross-section from a life that began in Midwestern playhouses, rose to Hollywood royalty, and roamed across the globe.

One thing I really love about Buster Keaton Remembered is its organization and thoroughness.  While My Wonderful World of Slapstick jumps around from topic to topic and only gives some subjects a cursory look, this book is carefully detailed and arranged.  In addition to the usual biographical fare – childhood, coming of age, marriages, successes, struggles, etc. – examination of Buster’s career takes pride of place.  Some periods are arranged into longer cumulative sections, like Buster’s time with Fatty Arbuckle or his post-MGM shorts, but every project from his independent and MGM years gets its own separate write-up.  The shorts and most of the MGM films get about a page each, and there’s a more in-depth piece on each of the silent features.  In this way, everything gets covered in excellent detail, and there’s no sense of getting shortchanged on particular films or eras.

With Eleanor Keaton behind the book, much of it written in the first person – the later stuff is mostly her own recollections, and the earlier stories are based on Buster’s, relating them back to her.  This gives the book a warm, personal feel.  Though it doesn’t shy away from the tough times and the less flattering experiences, it was clearly written by someone who loved Buster and wanted to celebrate his amazing work and extraordinary life.  Maybe it’s a little rose-tinted (no doubt Buster’s first wife would tell the misadventure of their marriage differently,) but that’s okay with me, because I see the regard and affection behind it.

Another great feature of the book is its gorgeous, extensive photo collection.  Really, it’s set up more like a coffee-table book than a straight biography; since visual media and humor was such a big part of Buster’s career, it’s only fitting that a book about him doesn’t skimp on the pictures.  Again, basically everything is covered.  There’s promotional shots of the Three Keatons from Buster’s vaudeville days, candid shots from his childhood, production images from countless shorts and features, behind-the-scenes pictures of Buster at work, and elaborate gag photos staged professional and personally throughout his life.  In the movie write-ups, important scenes are illustrated with a progression of stills to give a visual sense of the scenes’ flow and humor, and I love that Buster went to so much trouble to create on-set comedic tableaus that, while related to his films, didn’t contain actual scenes from them.  The images range from obscure to iconic, and Buster’s trademark stone face and comic sensibility radiates from each one.