The Haunted House is a very funny silent comedy, where honest bank teller Buster Keaton must stop crooked cashier Joe Roberts and rescue his love, Virginia Fox.
The Haunted House (1921) starring Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox
In The Haunted House, Buster Keaton is working as a bank teller. Unknown to him, the cashier is in league with a gang of counterfeiters, and they have a safe house. It’s a ‘haunted’ house with lots of gimmicks to use to stymie the police, if they’re ever on the run. Meanwhile, a lovely young lady comes into the bank, wanting to cash a check. But the time vault won’t open until 9:00! But, after some feminine persuasion, Buster simply turns the clock ahead one hour and takes out the money!
Bank robbery
While Buster’s busy working as a teller — accidentally smearing glue on the money and the patrons — the bank president tells the cashier that someone’s brought counterfeit money into the bank! So, while Buster and another teller fight with the glue — hilariously — he’s gathered up his gang to rob the bank! Which is a comedic disaster, due to the glue everywhere. Buster accidentally drives them off, and the crooked cashier tries to blame the robbery on Buster!
Haunted house
At the theater, there’s a play being put on – badly. So badly, that the actors are thrown off the stage — and the audience chases after them! Then run into the haunted house for safety. Where Buster has already went to hide. Soon, there’s oodles of prop comedy, with a collapsing staircase, “ghosts”, trapdoors, etc. The crooks are disguised a spooks, the actors are running all over, add there’s a great many things that have since become a staple of the haunted house. Except for the magic trick of two “skeletons” assembling a man from pieces, and he comes to life!
Eventually, Buster overhears a couple of “ghosts” talking, and realizes what’s going on. Disguising himself as a ghost, he manages to capture the criminals in time for the police to drag him away.
But, the crooked cashier hits him on the head first, leading to a dream sequence where he dreams he goes up to Heaven … Only to be rejected! But before the demons can have too much fun with him, he wakes up and embraces Virginia, ending the short film.
Cast of characters
- Buster Keaton (Sherlock Jr., Seven Chances) … Bank Clerk
- Virginia Fox (Cops) … Bank President’s Daughter
- Joe Roberts (Our Hospitality) … Bank Cashier. Head of the counterfeiting ring.
- Edward F. Cline (The Knockout) … Customer in Bank
Trivia
- Buster’s future wife, Natalie Talmadge, has an uncredited role as “fainting bank customer”
- The film was restored in 2015 through Lobster Films, partially funded through a Kickstarter campaign.
- Included in “Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection“
Quotes
- Title Card: [title card] That night the Daredevil Opera Company was executing “Faust” – and he deserved it!
- [title card] Wall Street: the palatial parking place of the Bull and the Bear — mostly the Bull.