Palooka from Paducah (1935)
** (out of 4)
This Educational Picture isn't a winner but it remains watchable due to Buster Keaton getting to act with his father Joe, his mother Myra and his sister Louise. In the film the four play redneck moonshiners who are about to lose their business once the government legalizes alcohol. In need of cash Joe and Buster decide to turn their brute brother (Dewey Robinson) into a wrestler. Once in the ring things don't go as planned. PALOOKA FROM PADUCAH will certainly want to be viewed by Keaton die-hards as it does feature his entire family and there's no question that the four have some good chemistry and work well together. The good things to say about this film pretty much end there, although there are a couple funny bits in the first few minutes including one funny line of dialogue about the difference between the one and two dollar bottles of moonshine. We also get another funny joke where Buster takes a fall after trying to put his leg up on a barrel. Sadly that's pretty much it in terms of comedy as once again Buster finds himself in a low-budget film trying to overcome a rather weak screenplay. The second portion of the film takes place inside the ring where Buster finds himself working as the referee. He really doesn't have much to do except fall down, fall out of the ring or get tangled up in the ropes. None of it was well-written and sadly there aren't any laughs to be found.
** (out of 4)
This Educational Picture isn't a winner but it remains watchable due to Buster Keaton getting to act with his father Joe, his mother Myra and his sister Louise. In the film the four play redneck moonshiners who are about to lose their business once the government legalizes alcohol. In need of cash Joe and Buster decide to turn their brute brother (Dewey Robinson) into a wrestler. Once in the ring things don't go as planned. PALOOKA FROM PADUCAH will certainly want to be viewed by Keaton die-hards as it does feature his entire family and there's no question that the four have some good chemistry and work well together. The good things to say about this film pretty much end there, although there are a couple funny bits in the first few minutes including one funny line of dialogue about the difference between the one and two dollar bottles of moonshine. We also get another funny joke where Buster takes a fall after trying to put his leg up on a barrel. Sadly that's pretty much it in terms of comedy as once again Buster finds himself in a low-budget film trying to overcome a rather weak screenplay. The second portion of the film takes place inside the ring where Buster finds himself working as the referee. He really doesn't have much to do except fall down, fall out of the ring or get tangled up in the ropes. None of it was well-written and sadly there aren't any laughs to be found.