Doughboys (1930 film)
Encyclopedia
Doughboys is a 1930 American comedy film
starring Buster Keaton
. It was Keaton's first starring talkie vehicle.
Elmer learns that Mary is on the base to entertain the troops, but also learns that his drill sargeant, Brophy (Edward Brophy
) is also interested in Mary.
. Although the writers kept inserting puns and verbal jokes into the script, Keaton insisted that his dialogue, at least, be less "jokey." Keaton felt that Doughboys was the best of the films he made for MGM.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
. It was Keaton's first starring talkie vehicle.
Plot
Elmer (Keaton), a member of the idle rich, is smitten by working girl Mary (Sally Ellers), who will have nothing to do with him. When Elmer's chauffeur gets caught up in an army recruitment drive and quits, Elmer goes to an employment agency to find a new driver and accidentally enlists in the army.Elmer learns that Mary is on the base to entertain the troops, but also learns that his drill sargeant, Brophy (Edward Brophy
Edward Brophy
Edward S. Brophy was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian. Small of build, balding, and raucous-voiced, he was known for portraying gangsters, both serious and comic.-Career:...
) is also interested in Mary.
Cast
- Buster KeatonBuster KeatonJoseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
as Elmer - Sally Ellers as Mary
- Cliff EdwardsCliff EdwardsCliff Edwards , also known as "Ukelele Ike", was an American singer and voice actor who enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standards and novelty tunes. He had a number-one hit with "Singin' in the Rain" in 1929...
as Nescopeck - Edward BrophyEdward BrophyEdward S. Brophy was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian. Small of build, balding, and raucous-voiced, he was known for portraying gangsters, both serious and comic.-Career:...
as Sgt. Brophy - Victor PotelVictor PotelVictor Potel was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38 year career.-Career:...
as Svendenburg - Arnold KorffArnold KorffArnold Korff was an Austrian-born Hollywood actor and director. He made his first appearance on the American stage in Denver in 1892.-References:...
as Gustav - Frank MayoFrank MayoFrank Mayo was an American actor and comedian, born in Boston, Massachusetts.He moved to San Francisco where at seventeen years of age he began his career and within a few years was appearing with the young Edwin Booth...
as Captain Scott
Reception
Keaton had creative input in Dougboys, which was partly inspired by his own experience in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Although the writers kept inserting puns and verbal jokes into the script, Keaton insisted that his dialogue, at least, be less "jokey." Keaton felt that Doughboys was the best of the films he made for MGM.