I’ll confess that I am rather new to the silent comedies of one Joseph Francis “Buster” Keaton, Jr.  It was just last year (2007) when I finally saw his great comedy The General and I still have not seen The Navigator, The Cameraman or others of that period.  But after seeing what he accomplished with Seven Chances (1925) — both as an actor and a director — I’m looking forward to more Keaton classics.

The first half of this film (based upon a play by David Belasco) is comedy of humiliation, as shy lawyer James Shannon (Keaton) is pressured into finding a bride immediately in order to inherit a large sum of money.  When his favorite girl balks, he asks everybody.  I’m not a big fan of embarrassment comedy but Keaton stages his rejections with great timing and skill.

The second half is downright hilarious, containing the funniest extended chase sequence I’ve ever witnessed.  Keaton is chased by literally hundreds of prospective brides who are at first enthusiastic about marrying Keaton, and then want to stone him to death after feeling betrayed.  Keaton the director stages the action using cranes and high vantage points to emphasize the scope of the chase, and his management of slightly accelerated film is superb.  The chase goes from sublime to absurd and then back again; the boulder sequence is unforgettable.

For those of you who may have avoided silent films, I recommend Seven Chances as one to test your tolerance; its comedy is universal.  In fact, it was remade in 1999 as The Bachelor with Chris O’Donnell.   My rating:  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  (10:2).