The Paleface – Buster Keaton’s silent comedy, where he manages to help a Native American tribe defend their land from greedy developers.
The Paleface (1922) starring Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox
Comedy highlights
- Buster Keaton, a butterfly collector, is so engrossed by a rare butterfly that he doesn’t realize that the warriors of the tribe have surrounded him, one by one.
- Buster Keaton, tied at a stake to be burned alive, keeps moving the stake!
- On the run from the tribe, he conveniently finds a roll of asbestos in a shack. He quickly makes a set of long johns out of it. Wearing them under his clothes, when the tribe recaptures him, he can’t burn!
- Later, after he’s made a member of the tribe, and leads them too confront the wicked oil thieves, he dresses himself in one of the villains’ outfits. Only to be chased by the tribe again!
- In a Looney Tunes-esque moment, he crosses a rickety bridge, pulling planks from behind and putting them in front of himself, so he can cross!
Product Description
Buster Keaton stars in this silent classic as an innocent butterfly collector who stumbles into the middle of a land dispute between some greedy oil men and the Native American tribe who occupies the land. When the tribe vows to kill the first “paleface” who enters their village, our butterfly collector is the unfortunate target. After surviving a burning at the stake due to some hilarious acrobatics and some fire-resistant clothing, the butterfly collector is made a member of the tribe and assists them in foiling the plans of the oil men.
Cast of characters
- Buster Keaton (Cops; Sherlock Jr.) … Little Chief Paleface
- Virginia Fox (The Play House) … Indian Maiden (uncredited)
- Joe Roberts (The Haunted House) … The Indian Chief (uncredited)
Trivia
- Included in “Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection” blu-ray set, by Kino.
- The film was restored in 2015 through Lobster Films, a process partially funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.