Coney Island (1917) User Reviews

You want refined, subtle, underplayed comedy? Look elsewhere!

[wmorrow59 · 7/10 · 6 June 2004]

If you enjoy low comedy, i.e. low to the point of downright crudity, with plenty of slapstick, strenuous mugging, cross-dressing, and general anarchy -- Congratulations, you've come to the right place! The two-reel comedy known as "Coney Island" is a prime example of the sort of rough-housing that made Roscoe Arbuckle one of the top comedians of his era, second only to Chaplin in popularity. It's also a good example of the kind of comedy Arbuckle would soon outgrow, thanks at least in part to his newfound colleague Buster Keaton, who influenced Roscoe to employ more low-key and sophisticated comedic elements in his work. But that would come later. Here, in this early appearance, Buster overacts as shamelessly as everyone else, uncharacteristically grinning, laughing, and even indulging in Stan Laurel-style weeping. In addition to his prominent role as Alice Mann's escort, Buster doubles as mustachioed policeman in the movie's climax (he's the cop relieved of his trousers by Roscoe in the jail house), and also acts as Alice's stunt double in the water slide sequence. They sure did keep the guy busy.

Like so many comedies of its era, this one is built around escalating rivalries over a pretty girl. Initially, Buster is Alice's Coney Island date, but he loses her to creepy Al St. John -- how humiliating! -- who in turn loses her to Roscoe, who must first ditch his homely wife. After various shenanigans at the amusement park Roscoe and Alice wind up at the beach, where they must "hire" bathing suits, and this is where things turn a little strange. Seeing as how there are no men's swim trunks on hand large enough to fit him, Roscoe pilfers and dons a lady's XXX-tra large swimsuit instead. Alice, who doesn't seem to find this turn of events the least bit odd, helpfully finds him a curly wig to wear. Roscoe is in drag for the rest of the film, even when flirting with yet another girl who crosses his path. Somehow, when Arbuckle performs this kind of shtick it's not only amusing but strangely innocent, which is not to say there aren't some weird undercurrents. Anyhow, it all ends in wild mayhem at the jail house, leaving the viewer exhilarated and a little dazed.

This is primitive stuff all right, but it has a number of things in its favor. When the film was made the star comics were young and healthy, and had every reason to expect bright futures ahead. Their exuberance comes across strongly. (I happened to watch this film back-to-back with a short comedy called The Railrodder which Keaton made in Canada more than 45 years later; the contrast between the grinning, muscular 21 year-old Buster we see here and the grizzled, exhausted yet still game old man he would become was harrowing and poignant.) In this Coney Island romp everyone is buff, happy, and full of mischief, and they look like they're having a blast.

For that matter, Coney Island itself looks pretty spiffy here and boasts some really cool looking rides, and that's another plus. This film serves as a historical record of the legendary amusement park in its prime, and it features several great shots that have turned up in various documentaries about the place. The Coney Island of 1917 looks almost as clean and well maintained as the Disney theme parks of today, and this too is poignant: I happened to visit Coney Island myself a couple of years ago, and I'm sorry to say it's not such a cheery place anymore. The only way to visit that bright and happy Coney Island, vicariously anyway, is by seeing this film.

I must be crazy...

[claudecat · 7/10 · 28 November 2006]

...because I actually think this is one of better-plotted Arbuckle/Keaton/St. John comedies. The three main characters remain consistent throughout--Amoral Fatty, Hot-Tempered Al, and Put-Upon-but-Resilient Buster--and their story lines are nicely interwoven. Good use is made of Luna Park, and Newton's law ("every action has an equal and opposite reaction") is thoroughly tested. The two women, Agnes Neilson and Alice Mann, are both skilled actresses, in the Vaudevillian manner, and have a few nice little comic bits of their own. (Also, love that striped bathing suit!) Some of the Keystone Kop ("Comique Cop"?) business got a little tiresome for me, but whatever...I've still watched this picture about 5 times, and will watch it more once I actually buy the DVD.

Another symptom of my oncoming mental illness is that, after seeing a pile of these Comique things, I'm starting to think Al St. John is kind of cute. I guess he's an acquired taste, like beer, or arsenic, but you can't deny his slapstick ability. Watch the terrific head-spin he makes after Fatty pushes him into Buster at the bell-ringing stand. And I love the way he looks just like a terrier when he makes his "angry" face.

Part of the fun of watching these shows is not so much to laugh at the falls and fighting--I'm not sure they would have been considered so hilarious even in their own day. But to know that these are all real stunts, that the actors really could jump and tumble like that, is awe-inspiring. It's like watching Jackie Chan's stunts. And the Comique boys didn't have the help of CG tricks, and probably could only do a limited number of takes.

The Alloy Orchestra's soundtrack for the Kino DVD is problematic for a lot of people, but boy, that's a rollicking Luna Park theme. Just try to resist dancing or at least bouncing to it.

Too Many Women Can't Make Right

[SendiTolver · 5/10 · 25 August 2018]

When you watch several Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle's movies in a row then you can notice that he was quite one note comedian, unlike his much more famous colleagues Charles Chaplin or Buster Keaton. In 'Coney Island' Fatty doesn't fight for the love of a woman, in this one he tries to evade his wife to spend the fun day at the luna park. Still, he meets gorgeous girl to whom he falls in love and again he has to fight off competition. At least 'Coney Island' doesn't include too much food fights, only couple of ice creams get thrown around, but Fatty still dresses up as a woman. This time he does it for the access into the bathing house.

Good enough to pass 25 minutes to get couple of laughs (mostly from Buster, though).

Fun with Fatty, Buster and Al

[wes-connors · 6/10 · 5 July 2016]

New York City's beach-side Coney Island amusement park is the setting. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle plays in the sand with inattentive wife Agnes Neilson. Fatty leaves her and goes to enjoy the rides and attractions at Luna. Fatty's friendly rivals Buster Keaton and Al St. John are there, causing laughter. The three men vie for the attentions of pretty Alice Mann. Fatty's yen for women's clothing increases the merriment and a few Keystone Kops later join in the fun. The cast is in good form, with the men famously physical. Keaton's stunts are the most daring. He also cries and laughs herein, well before his character's non-emotional "stone face" was cemented. This two-reel short seems cobbled, but is recommended more for its cast, setting and physical comedy.

****** Coney Island (10/29.1917) Roscoe Arbuckle ~ Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, Al St. John, Agnes Neilson

Adulterer, transvestite, peeping tom Arbuckle provides laughs for the whole family.

[st-shot · 6/10 · 17 July 2010]

Coney Island is a quick churn out with thirty minutes of standard slapstick and pratfalls featuring silent giants Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton. Arbuckle was the biggest (figuratively speaking) thing in silents at the time save Charlie Chaplin and its easy to see how this self effacing big kid with a sweet face to match must have regaled the audiences of his day.

In Coney Island he plays a bored husband at the beach and though susceptible to adultery and forced to don female attire and hang out in the ladies dressing room Fatty easily sanitizes the whole situation with his cherubic arrested development.

Buster Keaton plays a supporting role that offers more than the stone face he would maintain in his prime and while the injury producing stunts are well in evidence it's unpleasantly out of character to see Buster busting a gut laughing or breaking into tears. Al St. John matches Buster in pratfalls and Alice Neilson as Fatty's wife is comically and forcefully shrewish but Coney Island is little more than a basic Keystone Cops two reeler filled with the obligatory orgy of people falling down and being batted about the face an head.

sure it's an almost plot less mess, but look at the great film of Coney Island!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 16 July 2006]

This isn't all that funny a film and the jokes seem pretty ordinary. Fatty and his hideous wife are at the beach and he soon disappears to try and have some fun chasing women (a very familiar Arbuckle plot). Al St. John wants the same girl to himself and Buster Keaton just floats in and out of various scenes like they really weren't sure what to do with him. However, despite all this, I loved watching this film because it game such a wonderful glimpse of Luna Park at Coney of a by-gone era. Some of the rides look so wonderful and the scene where Fatty and the girl are thrown from the boat are really good. It's actually a very important film as a historical record of the place. However, this aspect is perhaps the only reason to rush out and see this movie. Without the Coney clips, I would only give this film a 4 or maybe even a 5.

Buster Keaton gets the girl, in the end.

[weezeralfalfa · 6/10 · 31 August 2018]

The film begins with a few sights relating to Coney Island, including a Marde Gras, then switches to Roscoe(Fatty) Arbuckle playing in the beach sand, like a kid, while the Mrs. is reading a magazine. Roscoe gets bored, so he abandons the Mrs., and heads for the amusement park. Meanwhile, Buster Keaton is trying to find some coins in his pocket to pay for the admission of his date(Alice) and himself. But, he's too show in finding them. So, Al St. John saunters up and pays for Alice and himself..POOR KEATON! Eventually, Keaton gets in, and takes a bumper car ride around a track. Al and Alice get in another bumper car, and eventually, the 2 collide, knocking everyone out of the car. To help settle Alice's nerves, Al gets her and himself an ice-cream cone, but meanwhile, Roscoe has sat down next to Alice on a bench. When Al arrives, Roscoe takes the cones, gives one to Alice, and begins to eat the other. Al hits Roscoe, who pushes Al backwards into Keaton, who is trying to hit a target with a mallet hard enough to make the bell at the top ring. Roscoe takes his turn with the mallet, hitting Keaton on the head hard enough to make the bell ring. POOR KEATON! Roscoe is such a nasty fellow, eh? ......... Rosco and Alice take a ride on a boat down a ramp, and are dumped at the bottom. Keaton tries to help pull them out, but instead he is pulled in. Roscoe and Alice get out, and leave Keaton in. POOR KEATON! ......... Roscoe and Alice go to the bathing house, to rent some swimming equipment. But, no suit begins to fit Roscoe, who notices a fat lady arrive. While she is busy on the phone, he steals her bathing suit. and makes it fil. Alice somehow gets him a wig with curls. When he goes in the men's showering area, he is kicked out. When he goes in the women's lounge area, he is grudgingly accepted. But, Alice pulls him out. She has on an eye-catching striped suit.......Keaton lucks out. He's made a lifeguard. LUCKY KEATON!...... Meanwhile, Mrs. Arbuckle has gone to the police to help find Roscoe. She shows a picture of him in her locket, and Al, who was taken to the station for fighting, recognizes Roscoe as the guy who stole his girl. Since they are both looking for Roscoe, Al and the Mrs. go to the beach, and (for some reason?) sit on a bench. Along comes Roscoe and sits on the other end on the bench(Why?). Al comes over, sits next to Roscoe, and begins flirting. Keaton shows up with a fishing rod. He knows Roscoe is no woman, so he hooks his wig off. Al immediately begins fighting with him. Meanwhile, Keaton finds Alice(who you remember was his date in the beginning), and they walk off , holding hands. LUCKY KEATON!. Roscoe and Al soon get into the water and continue fighting. The Mrs. calls the police, who come running, and apprehend the 2. At the police station, Roscoe and Al work together to knock out a series of police who come into their cell. Roscoe pushes his wife into the cell with the police, then he and Al somehow escape outside, where they swear off women, then immediately follow the first woman who comes along. .........In contrast to his later unrelieved deadpan expression in films, Keaton can be seen here smiling and even laughing on occasion........See it on YouTube.

Coney Island was another funny Arbuckle/Keaton comedy

[tavm · 8/10 · 19 July 2009]

This was a mostly funny film of seeing Roscoe Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, and Al St. John, all of whom are competing for the same girl, hit and getting hit by various objects at Coney Island. I say mostly, because by the end, the short was almost running out of steam especially with Arbuckle's battle-ax of a wife continuing to appear. Arbuckle also dresses as a woman-having stolen another plus-size bathing suit from a female stranger because there wasn't a male suit for him-to hilarious effect especially when St. John flirts with him! The cop chase wasn't as funny but by that time I didn't care. So if you love knockabout silent slapstick comedy, I highly recommend Coney Island.

Take Me Down To Coney Island

[Maniac_In_Black · 7/10 · 29 March 2023]

There really isn't much to say that hasn't been already said, but to show my appreciation for this short, I thought I'd add a couple of three words. Today is the second time I am viewing this short in a span of a few days. First, I watched it on one of the discs included in the "Forgotten Films of Arbuckle" set, today I am viewing it on the "Buster Keaton Shorts Collection" set.. I will say that I much prefer the version on the Keaton set, as not only does it include a new catchy song throughout the film, but the disc also contains a bonus of the edited/cut out ending which was deemed controversial even when this short was originally released.

As one reviewer mentioned, there isn't much plot here, just a whole lot of fun gags and views of a world long gone. What a joy it is to see Coney Island this long ago, and to see what it would be like to spend it with Arbuckle, Keaton, and yes even Al St. John. Sometimes a plotless wild adventure is the only ride you need.

Not very funny for a comedy

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 11 August 2016]

"Coney Island" is a live action short film from 1917, so this one will have its 100th anniversary next year. And as it is so very old, nobody should be surprised that it is a black-and-white silent film. This one includes two of the biggest movie stars from a century ago, namely Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, also the director, and Buster "Stoneface" Keaton. The action here feels fairly random, exactly the same what you would see in a dozen other (short) films from that time. A touch of romance here and there and some (not really serious) drama, but it is really all about the comedy. The reference about bossy wives, who keep getting in the way of their husband's fun plans was also very common back then. I personally had the impression though that this film really required more intertitles. It was occasionally pretty much impossible to understand what exactly was going on. I like Keaton and Arbuckle as much as the other big stars from the silent film era, if not more, so I am slightly disappointed with the outcome here. Thumbs down from me, not recommended.

More interesting than entertaining, fascinating look at early film-makers

[morrisonhimself · 8/10 · 26 June 2016]

Looking a lot taller, and even sillier, than he did as a funny cowboy sidekick years later, Al St. John gives an athletic performance in this Fatty Arbuckle programmer.

There isn't really a plot. It's just a bunch of vignettes intended to showcase Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle as star and as director. But Fatty pulls out all the stops, even anticipating Milton Berle by appearing in drag -- something he did often.

Neither Al (years later "Fuzzy") St. John nor Buster Keaton, nor, in fact, anyone else, gets billing credit in this rather primitive comedy. It's all Fatty's show.

But he lets the other players have their moments, and many of those moments are fun, even if the scenes are rather disjointed.

His wife is played, very broadly but tellingly, by the generally unknown Agnes Neilson. She dominates just about every scene she's in.

The flighty and gold-digging and unfaithful girl-friend is the only slightly better-known Alice Mann who -- this is the opposite of a spoiler -- looks mighty fetching in a skin-tight but fully covering swim suit.

Other men flow in and out, but the three, Arbuckle, Keaton, St. John, who made quite a few pictures together, pretty much own the movie.

Keaton had not yet become the great stone face. He made a lot of facial gestures somewhat reminding me of Stan Laurel.

But he, Arbuckle, and St. John keep an audience's attention with their physicality. Keaton and St. John were wonderfully acrobatic, here and in so many other movies. Arbuckle, despite his size, is amazingly agile, and in a couple scenes dances so lightly, it's hard to believe one's eyes.

"Coney Island" is a fascinating look at early-movie-making -- although 1917 is not really all that early, "The Birth of a Nation," for example, having been made four years before -- and especially a fascinating look at the three male leads early in their respective careers.

If you care about the history and heritage of movie-making, and want to have a good time while educating yourself, please do watch "Coney Island."

It all circles back to the founding fathers

[StevePulaski · 7/10 · 21 July 2014]

Roscoe Arbuckle is famous for not only acting in numerous different silent shorts and feature films, but also known for coaching the legendary comedy pioneer Buster Keaton through the basics of filmmaking. Arbuckle and Keaton were longstanding partners in an industry so young in comparison to other industries, such as music and art, and developed a personal relationship, despite Keaton achieving much more global success than Arbuckle. Arbuckle, known by his nickname "Fatty," went on to make and star in dozens of short films, one of them known as Coney Island in 1917, in one of the first projects where an actor and director assumed most of the creative control involved with the project, being fully trusted by Paramount Pictures to make a competent and fun short that would please an eager crowd.

The short follows Arbuckle at Coney Island, a popular amusement park and beach resort, where he escapes he drudgery of hanging with his nagging wife to embrace the atmosphere. Arbuckle has one of the most eventful days on record, as he gets a woman arrested, dresses up like a woman (in arguably the first crossdressing scene in film history), and gets wrapped up in many a convoluted scenario, alongside not only Keaton but the other famous, silent-era duo of the Keystone Kops.

There isn't much to discuss with Coney Island other than its hilarious pacing and amusingly active Arbuckle who, despite his weight, has no trouble moving around and adjusting to the frantic outline of his own short. Paired alongside Keaton, whom at this time was relatively unknown, the two can almost do no wrong together, and we can see how Keaton took after Arbuckle in terms of his "do all" attitude when it came to acting and directing. Furthermore, there's a pleasant wraparound moral at the end of the feature, basically solidifying the idea that friends come before any kind of love interest, a message still brought forth today in the presence of many young individuals. If there's one amazing and satisfying gift of revisiting these old silent classics it's that they provide us with a showcase that personal ideology and original filmmaking styles all circle back to their appropriate ancestry.

Starring: Roscoe Arbuckle, Agnes Neilson, Al St. John, and Buster Keaton. Directed by: Roscoe Arbuckle.

Buster and Roscoe go to Coney Island

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 11 January 2019]

This is a Roscoe Arbuckle short but also features Buster Keaton.

Arbuckle is on the beach is Coney Island who wants to evades his wife's constant nagging. Keaton the hapless guy who is taking his girl to the fair and loses her first to Al St John and then she goes off with Arbuckle.

Arbuckle takes the girl to swimming pool where he cannot find a costumes that fits him so he steals one from a large lady.

As St John and Arbuckle's wife goes looking for him, St John starts to flirt with a man in drag.

It all ends up with slapstick at the police station, Keaton reunites with his girl.

It is all dated knockabout comedy. Wives are battleaxes, young women go off with anyone especially if they have money. It even has a gay subtext.

It is clear from this, the real talent was Keaton.

Pretty Good, & Picks Up As It Goes Along

[Snow Leopard · 22 August 2001]

This short comedy starts a little slowly, but it picks up as it goes along, and it has some good material. The "Coney Island" location is interesting, and makes for a variety of settings and scenery. Some of the material is a bit routine, at least in the first half, but it gets better towards the middle, and it has a typical Arbuckle/Keaton manic finale.

The comic trio of Keaton, Arbuckle, and Al St. John work well together as usual, and together they pull off some creative gags, making even the implausible ones work all right because of their timing and teamwork. Their romantic rivalries can get pretty silly, but are still funny.

The cast and the story use the setting to good advantage, and while there is nothing brilliant about it, this is a pretty good short comedy, and it is worth seeing for any fan of silent comedies.

Fun at the amusement park

[gbill-74877 · 8/10 · 29 March 2023]

Lots of things tickled me about this Roscoe Arbuckle / Buster Keaton short, their fifth together in just six months. It has three men (Arbuckle, Keaton, and Al St. John) all after the same woman (Alice Mann) and vying for her attention at various sites in Coney Island. Arbuckle's character is (again!) quite a rapscallion given that he's already married, and behaves like a juvenile around his wife (Agnes Neilson), so much so that in their first thing I thought he was supposed to be her son. It's certainly not high comedy as there are lots of kicks to the butt, the silliness of the keystone cops, and jumping in the air while bending the legs before running off quickly. It's also deprecating in ways to big people, women, and in its original form, African Americans (see the since-excised original ending). On the other hand, it wasn't egregious (especially for 1917), and the venue itself along with Buster Keaton's continued emergence into the limelight really won me over.

Highlights:

• The brilliant footage of the original Luna Park at night, which had opened in 1903.

• Arbuckle getting the fortune "There ain't no such animal" out of the "When Will I Marry and Have a Happy Home" coin-operated machine.

• Seeing the antics on the ride "The Witching Waves," which had small cars moving around on a wavy road, and Arbuckle and Mann going down the water chute together, the camera on their excited faces before they're pitched into the water. Arbuckle's hat floats, followed shortly by his behind coming to the surface. A fish bites him and he begins spanking it, meanwhile, Buster rescues the girl. Later, he swims like a dolphin.

• Buster laughing contrary to his later "Stone Face" persona when he accidentally hits Arbuckle in the face with a mallet for the "Dial Striker" strength tester. Naturally, Arbuckle responds by hitting him over the head so hard he rings the bell and gets a cigar.

• Arbuckle measuring a woman's backside and then his own prior to stealing her bathing suit, then breaking the fourth wall by directing the cameraman to shoot higher while he's changing into it. Once in drag he's told to go into the women's changing area by some men showering, then gets steamed up when he sees a woman's leg in hose from the knee down.

• Meanwhile you have Alice Mann rocking her daring (for the time) bathing suit, and Buster in a lifeguard outfit. Buster also casually does a backflip outside the bath house, my favorite moment and the first time his athleticism was seen in film. It was sweet to see him get the girl at the end too.

• Luke the dog! Always a good boy.

Midway Mishaps for a Classical Comedy Partnership

[drqshadow-reviews · 5/10 · 5 August 2020]

Keaton and Arbuckle traipse around Brooklyn's little coastal amusement park, feuding over the affections of a flighty young female. In the process of exploring the grounds, they repeat many bits from preceding collaborations - Fatty batting his eyelashes whilst in drag, Buster weightlessly tumbling over obvious obstacles, both men exchanging food projectiles and kicks to the seat of their pants - but the spotlight share has shifted. Rather than a young hopeful, guest-starring on a much larger celebrity's turf, Coney Island features a more balanced partnership. Keaton actually gets a slim majority of the screen time and his role is definitely the more sympathetic of the two. He's coming into his own as a comedian, refining and improving his act with every appearance. No wonder Arbuckle kept casting him.

It's interesting to see the theme park in action, too, charming and delighting the olde-timey crowd with an assortment of thrill rides that wouldn't pass inspection today. Of course, the starring duo exploits this opportunity for all it's worth, misusing the rides until they spectacularly fail, so maybe I've let that cloud my judgement just a little bit. A curious film in that sense, possibly moreso to anyone with a personal connection to the island, but a bit on the shallow end in terms of story and fresh humor.

Why Does Lie About Arbuckle Persist?

[redryan64 · 8/10 · 20 July 2014]

BEFORE we go any further with this review, let's get something out in the open. Yes, we've heard the stories about what Arbuckle did to that girl at his wild party back in 1921 at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco on Labor Day Weekend. We've heard them and we are telling you this; they are only stories, THE INCIDENT DID NOT HAPPEN; at least as it is told and retold by legions of those who just do not know the facts.* OKAY, now we can get on with the Write-up of today's Spotlight Movie, CONEY ISLAND (Comique Film Company/Paramount Pictures, 1917).

FOLLOWING experience on the Vaudeville Stage, Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle came to the new medium of Film in 1909. Making a handful of titles as a supporting player for the Selig Polyscope Company and never distinguishing himself as Star Material; 'Fatty' had a chance meeting with 'the Professor', Mack Sennett (Himself) late in 1913. Mr. Sennett, the Numero Uno Guy in the Comedy Business, obviously new real talent when he saw it; .for before long Arbuckle was Sennett's Leading Comic, heading at first one reel comedies, then the 2 reelers.

EVENTUALLY Mr. Arbuckle had the desire to not only perform, but also to have a degree of ownership in the films. A deal with Joseph Schenck brought about the formation of a partnership that saw him going over to the Comique Film Company, as a partner and main attraction.** OUR STORY………………in this 2 reeler, CONEY ISLAND the oft used device of shooting a film at the scene of a real-life on going event is very much in evidence at the beginning. The big parade and shots on the midway of the Coney Island Amusement Park are very much in evidence. A high degree of proficiency is displayed in choosing the real life shots used and, even more importantly, they showed a highly sophisticated skill in editing in their movie story's set pieces.

IF you observe the pattern followed, you'll see how the Director (also Mr. Arbuckle) and his cinematographer follow a wide angled view of the Park patrons with a close up of the players in a particular scene. Their work looks almost seamless.

ONE thing that we have noticed about these "Olde Time Movie" Comedies is that the earlier comedies are much more of an abstraction from real life; hence they are done a highly freehanded manner. This should not be much of a startling discovery; for after all, people like Sennett, Arbuckle and 'Fatty's supporting co-star, Buster Keaton, were making the rules, not following a beaten path; laid out by some trailblazing artists ahead of them.

THE cast is made up of the above mentioned Mr. Buster Keaton; who was in the 6th movie of a 15 picture run that he had with Roscoe. After coming to the Comique Studios out of curiosity, Buster would soon be their Number One Comic Star; as Arbuckle was moving on to bigger things. He would soon be doing Features and calling all the shots.

OTHERS in the cast are: Joe Bourdeaux, Alice Lake, Jimmy Bryant, Alice Mann and Agnes Nelson.

OF particularly interesting importance is the presence of Al St. John in this and so many other of Arbuckle's movies at Sennett's Keystone, Comique and later in Arbuckle's features. In addition to being a talented, acrobatic physical player, St. John was related to the Great Silent Star; being his nephew.

ONE particular peculiarity that we have observed about the early screen comedies is that they had a penchant for giving minimal background to the screen characters. Instead of even giving names to characters, they would defer to some descriptive titles; such as 'the Boyfriend', 'a Hobo', 'the Big Spender' or 'an old Soldier'. Even the handle of 'Fatty' was born of this use of the descriptive rather than a name.

ANOTHER attribute of the early silent comedies is their close resemblance to the newspaper Cartoon or 'Comic Strip'. The scenes are generally brief and basically build slowly. One character is usually in some difficult predicament and is just sort of happened upon by a protagonist; who may or may not get the best of the encounter. To see what we mean, get a good example of this phenomenon by looking at some good old Newspaper Comic-strips.

THERE are anthologies or even collections of various strips dating from the years of 1890-1940 or so. Samplings of such titles as THE KATZENJAMMER KIDS, BUSTER BROWN, MUTT AND JEFF (excellent source) or even such more familiar and recent Strips as BLONDIE, BRINGING UP FATHER (Maggie & Jiggs), BEETLE BAILEY and PEANUTS would all adequately demonstrate just what we are talking about.

IN CLOSING, let us remind you that you may be labouring under these delusional ideas about Arbuckle's personal that are not true. Take a look at this old, silent comedy, CONEY ISLAND and see what we have been talking about. Chances are that you'll want to view more of the Big Man's work. (Me and Schultz sure did!) NOTE * See the story laid out from beginning to end in several books, such as: THE DAY THE LAUGHTER STOPPED:The True Story of Fatty Arbuckle, by David A. Yallop (1976).

NOTE: ** Leaving the Comique Studios, whose product was released and distributed by Famous Players-Lasky (Paramount), Arbuckle signed on directly with Paramount; getting assurances of having artistic control over his own feature films.

POODLE SCHNITZ!!

Fatty's Masterpiece

[Michael_Elliott · 10 March 2008]

Coney Island (1917)

**** (out of 4)

Fatty Arbuckle travels to Coney Island where he competes with Buster Keaton for the heart of a girl, which leads to havoc. This is a wonderfully funny short that allowed Keaton to show off his grace as a physical comedian. The ice cream, fish fighting and waterslide gags are certainly the best. The laughs fizzle out towards the end but this is still hilarious.

You can view this short on The Forgotten Films of Fatty Arbuckle set, which features four discs worth of shorts as well as some nice extras. Remastered prints and new scores make this collection of films a must have.

Arbuckle's Expertise in Directing, and Keaton's Advancement in Film Acting

[springfieldrental · 9/10 · 7 August 2021]

Producer Mack Sennet at Keystone Studios loved to use New York City's parks and other visually stunning vistas for free backdrops. Roscoe Arbuckle continued that tradition by getting permission to film inside the city's amusement venue Luna Park for his October 1917 "Coney Island." Cited as one of his best short films, "Coney Island" shows some unusual rides at Luna Park amidst a hectic plot of the (again) philandering Fatty trying this time to make it with Buster Keaton's girlfriend.

One unique ride which amazes viewers today is the park's Witching Waves. Scooter-style cars are propelled by underneath rollers. This ride became so popular that it was installed in several other amusement parks in the early 1900's.

Arbuckle's direction by this time has achieved a certain amount of sophistication. His breaking the so-called fourth wall, where he addresses the camera to look the other way while he's changing into a woman's bathing suit, is unique. Cross-dressing was somewhat a popular schtick for movie comics in early cinema, but what's so unusual here is that Fatty finds himself in a woman's changing area, becoming quite the voyeur.

Produced over the summer of 1917, "Coney Island" reflects the rapid pace Keaton has learned his new craft, and how much of a quick study he has become. For Arbuckle, his career and films never looked better, earning him not only praise from critics but also bulging his already fat wallet.

Disappointing Arbuckle

[drednm · 10 June 2005]

Considering the popularity of Roscoe Arbuckle, I have been disappointed by the few features I've seen him in. Coney Island is an OK 2 reeler, filmed at Coney Island in 1917. That's the major point of interest: Coney Island. Blah story that makes little sense is a series of badly done pratfalls on dry land and in the sea. Arbuckle dresses up as a fat lady but this gag goes nowhere. Buster Keaton is his rival for the interest of Alice Mann. Keaton (very early in his film career) is OK; Mann has weird hair. Worst of all is the grotesque Al St. John, as a bow-legged and toothless goon. He overacts and is repulsive. Agnes Neilson plays the wife (so why is Fatty chasing Mann?) and looks like a youngish Maude Eburne. Along with the plot less story, what's missing here (compared to Chaplin's and Lloyd's films of the same era) is precision. Arbuckle's many pratfalls are obviously staged and even when he's supposed to be getting hit, it never really looks like it--he just reacts. Keaton fares better here but has little to do. Also, while Chaplin, Lloyd, and Keaton all developed personae that fit their styles of comedy, Arbuckle has little to offer other than being fat. His character has no personality. Based on this lack and his 1921 "feature," Leap Year, I doubt that Arbuckle would have had much of a starring career as the 1920s progressed and film audiences grew more sophisticated.