Neighbors

A pair of young, star-crossed lovers make time for each other despite the intrusions of parents, neighbors and passing lawmen. It's basically just Buster Keaton having ridiculous amounts of daring, carefree fun in a pair of old city tenements with a shared backyard; causing trouble and taking lumps in an uphill struggle to steal kisses from the girl next door. The entire first reel is a head-spinning riot, armed with constant bouts of misdirection and mistaken identity that stack and re-frame each other as the material risks pile up. Buster's climbing electrical poles, dangling from clotheslines and plummeting through floorboards, all with a showman's touch and the small, but iconic, dash of genuine danger that's become his trademark. The plot actually reaches a manner of resolution, too, which is unusual for these short-burst setups. Normally, we'd see the hero finally land the girl, collect a peck on the cheek and roll credits. This time, the actual wedding ceremony provides new opportunities for mayhem and mischief, as neither family can stand the other and the bride's father gets cold feet. Hilarious, inspired physical comedy from the prime years of a silent film legend.