"No man can be a genius in slapshoes and a flat hat." -Buster Keaton -
A Country Hero (1917)
This is a lost film that remains undiscovered to this day. It marked Joe Keaton’s debut, Buster’s father. In one scene, he playfully kicks the main actors into a horse trough. Roscoe runs a blacksmith shop, and Joe operates a garage in Jazzville. They initially compete for the affection of schoolteacher Alice but unite to face a new arrival, Al. Buster delivers a performance at a village ball.
Cast
- Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle as the Village Blacksmith
- Buster Keaton as the Vaudeville Artist
- Al St. John as the City Gentleman
- Alice Lake as the Schoolteacher
- Joe Keaton as Cy Klone, the Garage Owner
- Scott Pembroke (credited as Stanley Pembroke)
- Natalie Talmadge in an uncredited bit part
A Country Hero (1917) – What Do We Know So Far?
One of the most highly desired missing silent films, “A Country Hero” (1917) directed by Roscoe Arbuckle. Film enthusiasts are eager to recover it, not just for its place in Arbuckle’s impressive body of work but because it’s the sole absent piece in Buster Keaton’s silent filmography. All his other works are accessible, but this film remains elusive.
Though lost to time, tantalizing tidbits let us peek at this vanished Roscoe Arbuckle vehicle:
- A star-studded cast – Roscoe, Al St. John, Buster Keaton, Joe Keaton, and Alice Lake light up the screen.
- The quaint main street of Jazzville, a replica of Roscoe’s hometown, sets the scene.
- Roscoe is the local blacksmith and “man of all work” with eyes for schoolmarm Alice.
- Joe Keaton makes his debut as garage owner Cy Klone, Roscoe’s romantic rival.
- Buster stirs up trouble as the “village pest.”
- Al is a bumbling “city dude” whose Ford wrecks comic havoc.
- The water trough launches dunking mayhem on our stars.
- Buster’s drag act “Fatima” performs a hypnotic “snake dance” at the big vaudeville night.
- Fatima Buster charms a lady’s stocking “snake” from a box.
- Al kidnaps Alice, uniting Joe and Roscoe against him.
- Roscoe and Al both don glamorous drag at some point.
- A madcap auto chase careens towards disaster.
- Cars crash spectacularly under a train.
- Roscoe wields a piano amidst a restaurant melee.
- Roscoe wins his girl and a wad of cash.
Though lost, tantalizing traces let us imagine this rollicking romp. The existing descriptions of the film A Country Hero (1917) are quite general, lacking the precision we desire. However, a more detailed review can be found in Moving Picture World, dated December 1917:
Certainly, what truly caught the attention of both critics and viewers during the release of “A Country Hero” was Buster Keaton’s remarkable performance, particularly his show-stealing “Fatima snake dance” scene. In fact, one writer went as far as to describe it as “one of the most outstanding burlesque moments ever captured on film.” Prior to this, Buster’s presence in the preceding Comiques had consistently garnered praise; his “excellent comedy falls” had been commended, and he was often compared to the established star, Al St. John.
Submerging Buster Keaton for Film Fun magazine.
Here is a promotional photograph for the movie, with Cy Klone’s garage in the background.
It’s intriguing to imagine Joe Keaton’s initial moments on screen, considering his initial reluctance to act in films. The film would have needed scenes to establish the characters’ relationships, likely depicting Roscoe and Joe competing for Alice’s attention. Interestingly, Rudi Blesh’s biography Keaton suggests that Joe was asked to play Alice’s father rather than a romantic rival. However, Blesh’s book contains inaccuracies regarding Keaton’s films, so this account might also be unreliable. As of now, this is the only information available. Here is a footage image where Joe Keaton is standing alongside the Comicque film crew
