The Blacksmith (film #1 on Side A of Disc #2 of Comedy Classics DVD Megapack (Treeline Films, 2004)). [Category: Hollywood]

A poor shmoe of a blacksmith makes the big mistake of hiring Buster Keaton as his assistant. That guy should never be allowed near fire, magnets, motor oil, or railroad tracks. This is classic silent slapstick comedy, with lots of moments that made me laugh out loud, such as Buster doing a whole shoestore schtick with a horse that needs to be shod; Buster thoroughly destroying a rich man’s car that was simply being parked through sheer incompetence; and Buster foiling his angry boss, avoiding being hit by a train in the nick of time, and eloping with the girl of his dreams, all within the space of a few seconds. One of the funniest Buster Keaton shorts I’ve seen, with the added historical interest of being made during the time when horses and cars were about equally common and blacksmiths were expected to be able to fix both.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: *****. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: *****.