One Week

Keaton said, “Who would not wish to live a hundred years in a world where there are so many people who remember with gratitude and affection a little man with a frozen face who made them laugh a bit long years ago when they and I were both young?”  So cool

Well, Keaton’s debut directorial production, One Week, premiered on September 1st, 1920. And the world of Hollywood was never the same. A newlywed couple receives a prefabricated house as a wedding gift and sets out to assemble it themselves. However, their efforts are complicated when a jealous rival deliberately sabotages the numbering of the components, resulting in a comically distorted and dysfunctional structure. The film follows their resourceful and determined attempts to build the house amidst a series of physical comedy mishaps and escalating challenges, culminating in a famously chaotic climax involving a train and the mislocated house.

In this classic silent comedy, newlyweds Buster and Sybil receive a do-it-yourself house kit as a wedding present and embark on the ambitious project of building their home. Unknown to them, a jealous rival has tampered with the numbering of the kit’s components, leading to a series of ingenious mishaps and escalating chaos. As the couple struggles to construct their dream house, inventive visual gags and physical comedy abound, showcasing Keaton’s mastery of timing and stoicism. The film culminates in a spectacular climax that solidifies its place as a landmark in early American cinema. You’er So Cool.

Directors: Edward F. Cline (as Eddie Cline), Buster Keaton (as ‘Buster’ Keaton)
Writers: Edward F. Cline (as Eddie Cline), Buster Keaton (as ‘Buster’ Keaton)
Stars: Buster Keaton, Sybil Seely, Joe Roberts

Joseph Frank “Buster” Keaton was a pioneering American actor, comedian, director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. Renowned for his deadpan expression and innovative physical comedy, he earned the nickname “The Great Stone Face.” Keaton’s influence on silent cinema is widely acknowledged, with the American Film Institute ranking him the 21st greatest male star of classic Hollywood cinema as of 1999.

This film exemplifies Keaton’s trademark blend of slapstick humor and inventive visual storytelling, celebrating his legacy while exploring new comedic possibilities.