Although robbed of its delightful songs by Douglas Furber (lyrics) and Philip Brabham (music), "Battling Butler" more than makes up for this unavoidable lapse by casting one of our favorite character players, Snitz Edwards, in a major role. He is wonderful; and it's to Keaton's credit, both as a fellow comic and as the director, that he allows Snitz to steal many of his scenes. In fact, Keaton and Edwards make a great comedy team. Except for one or two sequences, they don't play against each other, they play with each othera feat that is more difficult to bring off successfully.
Following the construction of the stage musical, the film splits neatly into two halves. Tom Wilson's harassed trainer, who expertly pits himself against the seemingly hopeless Keaton, supplies much of the comedy in the second half until the star unexpectedly turns the tables in a grand climax especially written for the film. In the play, the McDonald character simply drops out and doesn't return at all. It could be said that the stage musical actually ends on rather a limp note plot-wise, but this problem has now been neatly licked.
Doubtless due to the fact that comic fight scenes have been done to death by just about every comedian you could name in sound films, "Battling Butler" is not wholly prized among Keaton addicts, but I regard it as one of his best outings.
Following the construction of the stage musical, the film splits neatly into two halves. Tom Wilson's harassed trainer, who expertly pits himself against the seemingly hopeless Keaton, supplies much of the comedy in the second half until the star unexpectedly turns the tables in a grand climax especially written for the film. In the play, the McDonald character simply drops out and doesn't return at all. It could be said that the stage musical actually ends on rather a limp note plot-wise, but this problem has now been neatly licked.
Doubtless due to the fact that comic fight scenes have been done to death by just about every comedian you could name in sound films, "Battling Butler" is not wholly prized among Keaton addicts, but I regard it as one of his best outings.