15. Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life. James Curtis. 2022. 810 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, adult nonfiction, biography]
First sentence: The man in the pork pie hat is unhappy. His head down, arms akimbo, he paces grimly as a documentary crew captures him on film.
Premise/plot: What you see is what you get: James Curtis' delivers a biography of the legendary 'larger than life' film star Buster Keaton. In some ways, there was not a hat Buster Keaton didn't wear. He did all the jobs--quite literally--in the film business. And, of course, he's quite famous FOR his hats. It IS a full biography--mainly. Starting with his parents upbringing and subsequent marriage through his death and legacy. There's also a strong focus on his entertaining--his work on stage, on film, behind the cameras, in front of the cameras, etc. Some films get their own chapters, I believe. Though many aspects of his life--his work--is covered, the book is never gossip-y or frivolous. It is a serious book about a legendary, one-of-a-kind comic. It is PACKED with details about his silent films especially. Less so, perhaps, with his later work. But I think overall, this one will DELIVER exactly what readers want most, to learn more about the man whose creative genius gave the world unforgettable, incredible FILMS (and shorts). So if the book perhaps focuses a little more on his 'golden era' if you will, I'll allow it.
My thoughts: Yes, the book is LONG, LONG, LONG. However, it was a joyous journey. I began my deep dive into anything-everything Buster Keaton in January. It was a slow start, perhaps, two to three films a week. Nice, steady pace. By the end of January, I was gloriously in all the way and watching almost exclusively Buster Keaton related movies. In some cases, rewatching again, again, again.
As I read through the book, I'd peek to the next chapter to see which film(s) I'd need to see. I think SEEING the films (features, shorts, whatever) BEFORE reading the chapter(s) made a difference. It made me appreciate the book more, encouraged me to go back and watch the film again, and in general made me a nuisance to anyone within reach. DID YOU KNOW THAT....
I found it a fascinating read. I do wish, however, it had MORE PICTURES and LARGER PICTURES. I wouldn't mind it being a thousand pages long (instead of 800) if it meant MORE pictures of Buster.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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