IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
After being mistakenly certified as an electrical engineer, Buster is hired to wire a house.After being mistakenly certified as an electrical engineer, Buster is hired to wire a house.After being mistakenly certified as an electrical engineer, Buster is hired to wire a house.
Buster Keaton
- Buster
- (as 'Buster' Keaton)
Virginia Fox
- The Millionaire's Daughter
- (uncredited)
Joe Keaton
- Buster's Father in Prologue
- (uncredited)
Louise Keaton
- Buster's Sister in Prologue
- (uncredited)
Myra Keaton
- Buster's Mother in Prologue
- (uncredited)
Laura La Varnie
- Guest
- (uncredited)
Steve Murphy
- Real Electrical Engineer
- (uncredited)
Joe Roberts
- Millionaire
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- Buster Keaton
- Edward F. Cline
- Jeffrey Vance(1995 version)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFilming was delayed when star Buster Keaton got his foot caught in the escalator and broke his ankle. During his recovery, Keaton released his previously shelved film, The 'High Sign' (1921), and filmed The Play House (1921). Upon his return to this short, he abandoned his original footage and started fresh. Little is known about the first version, and no scenes are known to still exist.
- Alternate versionsIn 1995, Film Preservation Associates copyrighted a version with new titles by Jeffrey Vance and a music soundtrack arranged by Robert Israel. The running time was 24 minutes.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Golden Age of Buster Keaton (1979)
Featured review
Not his funniest, but technically astounding
What makes The Electric House such a must-see Keaton short is curiously not the showcasing of the great man himself but that of the technical prowess of his technical director Fred Gabourie. Gabourie had built The Boat and worked with Keaton since 1920's One Week, which was the one with the ingenious portable house, and he would progress with Keaton from the shorts to the features. But never were the technical gadgets Keaton used and Gabourie had to make work practically better displayed than in The Electric House. Keaton really lets Gabourie's gadgets take centre stage here and it is a chance to marvel at a master at work.
In a strange way it's almost too brilliant because the laughs don't really play as well. Whereas in One Week or The Boat the gadgets and physical comedy worked in perfect harmony in The Electric House Keaton lets the film get a bit bogged down in watching the gadgets at work.
Nevertheless in these days of CGI and visual cheats it is stunning to see these practical effects in full flow. Gabourie was clearly a genius, one whose name deserves to be held in the same light as practical effects masters like Willis O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen and Stan Winston.
In a strange way it's almost too brilliant because the laughs don't really play as well. Whereas in One Week or The Boat the gadgets and physical comedy worked in perfect harmony in The Electric House Keaton lets the film get a bit bogged down in watching the gadgets at work.
Nevertheless in these days of CGI and visual cheats it is stunning to see these practical effects in full flow. Gabourie was clearly a genius, one whose name deserves to be held in the same light as practical effects masters like Willis O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen and Stan Winston.
helpful•131
- motta80-2
- Mar 24, 2009
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Electrical House
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime23 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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