Horst_In_Translation Review of The Butcher Boy

The Butcher Boy (1917)

Not a botched film, but a pretty forgettable one

[4/10 · 27 May 2017]

"The Butcher Boy" is an American movie from 1917 and as this one was released in Aoril already back then, it already made it past the century mark. The star here is of course Fatty Arbuckle, one of the biggest (no pun intended) personalities in film back then and he wrote, directed and starred in this one. But it also includes the very first on-screen performance by somebody who is probably even considered a bigger legend than Arbuckle and that one is of course Buster "Stoneface" Keaton and it should be one of many collaborations of his with Arbuckle. And if I mention the name Al St. John, then you probably know if you haven't before already that this is a black-and-white silent film that unites three of the great from its time. And there is also Luke the Dog, the Arbuckle equivalent to the Rascals' Pete the Pup. Anyway, back to this one here and it runs for 24 minutes roughly the version I watched and I see there's other indications too. But I think that the real problem here is that as good and funny as Fatty may be as an actor, he is perhaps not as good as the writer as really all the moments when he wasn't on screen just weren't entertaining. This also includes Keaton, but you cannot really blame him with his age and lack of experience at that time. There just isn't constant entertainment factor like in Fatty's films with Mabel Normand for example. Then again it doesn't have the amazing Mabel, so what do you expect. I cannot share the praise or popularity "The Butcher Boy" has received on several occasions and only recommend it to the very biggest Arbuckle fans.