The Balloonatic

Buster Keaton's penultimate short film (he'd depart for feature-length comedies within the year) has him exploring a funhouse, wandering carnival grounds, pitching a tent, reeling fish and stowing away on an errant hot air balloon. At each stop, he happens upon the same comely young lass; initially an object of scorned affection, later a source of mutual nuisance, finally a welcome travel companion. Phyllis Haver is the girl, a rarity in Keaton films in that she's given room to grow and exist as more than just a lash-fluttering dish. Buster's still the unequivocal centerpiece, armed with an array of effective gags and tricks that benefit from the frequent shifts in scenery, but the presence of this better-defined supporting player leads to a better-earned climax. As the stunts and gags go, this is one of Keaton's finer short efforts. He works several big laughs out of a segmented canoe, misusing and manhandling the disassembled watercraft in his own inimitable style, while his daredevil work atop a skyward balloon is positively hypnotic. Only the janky, scattered nature of the plot leaves much to be desired. Otherwise, it’s a strong example of a classic comedian in his prime.