The Garage

The Garage (1920) was Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's final two-reel comedy for Comique Productions, and it was also Buster Keaton's final collaboration with Arbuckle. In fact, it was Arbuckle who offered Keaton his film debut as a supporting player in The Butcher Boy (1917). The two had met in New York while Keaton was performing in the stage musical The Passing Show. Arbuckle's agent Lou Anger had known Buster Keaton from his vaudeville days and convinced him to leave the stage altogether for filmmaking. In his autobiography, Keaton called Arbuckle "the best friend I ever had," adding that he "taught me everything I ever knew about making movies." After serving in the Infantry for several months in France at the tail end of World War II, Keaton returned to make this last short, which is mainly a virtuoso collection of gags constructed around the foibles of a small-town garage that also serves as the volunteer fire and police department. The Garage was mostly well reviewed upon its initial release, though the critic Laurence Reid complained in the trade journal Motion Picture that the film was focused on physical comedy at the expense of characterization. James Neibaur, the author of Arbuckle and Keaton, argues instead that the film stands out for its structure and pacing. Later in life Keaton singled it out as his favorite collaboration with Arbuckle. At this point Arbuckle moved into feature films and Joseph Schenck transferred control of Comique Productions to Keaton, who began directing and starring in his own shorts. Arbuckle publicly supported this move; the trade journal Wid's Daily reported that he was planning to send out 25,000 letters declaring Keaton as his successor in two-reel comedies. Director: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle Screenplay: Jean C. Havez Cinematography: Elgin Lessley Cast: Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (Mechanic/Fireman), Buster Keaton (Mechanic/Fireman), Molly Malone (Garage Owner's Daughter), Harry McCoy, Dan Crimmins, Luke the Dog (The Mad Dog), Alice Lake (Undetermined Role, uncredited and unconfirmed). BW-25m. by James Steffen