The Boat (film)
Encyclopedia
The Boat is a 1921 short comedy film
written by, directed and starring Buster Keaton
. The International Buster Keaton Society takes its name, The Damfinos, from this film.
Buster loses his car in attempting to launch the boat. While out on the Pacific
, Buster and his family are caught in a terrible storm. The boat is barely seaworthy to begin with, and he does not help matters when he nails a picture to the side of the hull, or when he drills a hole in the bottom for an outlet for the resulting leak. He radios for help, but when the navy or coast guard operator asks who it is, he answers, "Damfino." The man interprets it as "damn if I know" and dismisses the call. Taking to a dinghy, Buster and his family wash up on a deserted beach. "Where are we?" asks his wife, to which Buster replies, "Damfino."
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...
written by, directed and 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...
. The International Buster Keaton Society takes its name, The Damfinos, from this film.
Plot
Buster is married with two children (both of whom wear the porkpie hat made famous by Keaton). He has built a large boat he has christened Damfino inside his home. When he finishes and decides to take it out to sea, he discovers it is too large to fit through the door. Buster enlarges the opening, but when he tows the boat out, it brushes the side and his house collapses.Buster loses his car in attempting to launch the boat. While out on the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, Buster and his family are caught in a terrible storm. The boat is barely seaworthy to begin with, and he does not help matters when he nails a picture to the side of the hull, or when he drills a hole in the bottom for an outlet for the resulting leak. He radios for help, but when the navy or coast guard operator asks who it is, he answers, "Damfino." The man interprets it as "damn if I know" and dismisses the call. Taking to a dinghy, Buster and his family wash up on a deserted beach. "Where are we?" asks his wife, to which Buster replies, "Damfino."
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 The Boat Builder - Edward F. ClineEdward F. ClineEdward Francis Cline was a screenwriter, actor, writer and director. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin and died in Hollywood.-Career:...
as SOS Receiver (uncredited) - Sybil SeelySybil SeelySybil Seely was a silent film actress who worked with the well known silent film comedy actor Buster Keaton. She was credited in most of her films as Sibye Trevilla....
as His Wife (uncredited)