Spite Marriage (1929)

“Spite Marriage” is a 1929 American silent comedy, co-directed by Buster Keaton and Edward Sedgwick, and starring Keaton alongside Dorothy Sebastian. This film marked Keaton’s second production for MGM and his final silent film, despite his desire for it to be a “talkie” with full sound.

While the movie lacks recorded dialogue, it incorporates a synchronized score and recorded laughter, applause, and various sound effects in select scenes. Buster Keaton later went on to create gags for emerging MGM stars like Red Skelton. He also recycled numerous gags, some even shot-for-shot, in Skelton’s 1943 film, “I Dood It.”

Buster Keaton aspired for this movie to be a complete talkie, yet MGM distributed it with solely a musical score and sound effects. Several factors hindered the film from being a full talkie; MGM was a late entrant in the sound technology arena with limited recording equipment, Loew’s Theater chain lacked full sound projection capabilities, and MGM’s production head considered Keaton’s films involved time-consuming improvisations and didn’t justify the added cost of scarce sound equipment.

Spite Marriage (1929) marked the conclusion of Buster Keaton’s silent feature film career, following The Cameraman (1929). It was his second movie produced under his MGM contract and notably the final film where he retained creative control within the studio. In addition, The character names are playful references to the Barrymore family: “Lionel Benmore” resembling Lionel Barrymore, “Ethyl Norcrosse” alluding to Ethel Barrymore, and “Trilby Drew” a nod to Georgiana Drew Barrymore, the mother of Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore, and later the namesake of John’s granddaughter, Drew Barrymore.

The iconic scene featuring Buster Keaton putting his intoxicated bride to bed was later reenacted on stage by Keaton and his third wife, Eleanor Keaton, and subsequently portrayed in The Buster Keaton Story (1957).

*P.S: Typically, I offer free access to full movies, but I regret to inform you that Spite Marriage (1929) and The Cameraman (1929) are still under copyright protection. However, don’t let that discourage you from seeking and enjoying the complete films. Spite Marriage is available as a bonus feature on The Cameraman (1928), included in Criterion’s DVD and Blu-ray release.

Cast

• Buster Keaton stars as Elmer (Gantry)
• Dorothy Sebastian portrays Trilby Drew
• Edward Earle takes on the role of Lionel Benmore
• Leila Hyams appears as Ethyl Norcrosse
• William Bechtel plays Nussbaum
• John Byron assumes the character Scarzi
• Joe Bordeaux makes an uncredited appearance as Rumrunner
• Ray Cooke features as The Bellboy in an uncredited role
• Mike Donlin can be spotted as the Man in Ship’s Engine Room in an uncredited capacity
• Pat Harmon assumes the role of Tugboat Captain in an uncredited capacity
• Sydney Jarvis makes an uncredited appearance as the Man in the Audience Next to Elmer
• Theodore Lorch takes on the part of an Actor as ‘Union Officer’ in an uncredited role
• Hank Mann plays the Stage Manager in an uncredited role
• Charles Sullivan is seen as the Tough Sailor in an uncredited capacity

Spite Marriage (1929) – Story line

Elmer, a humble dry cleaner, idolizes stage star Trilby Drew, pretending to be a wealthy fan at her shows. Trilby loves fellow actor Lionel Benmore, but impulsively proposes to Elmer when Lionel temporarily spurns her for younger Ethyl Norcrosse. Worried it would ruin her career if it got out she married a pants presser, her manager tells Elmer the marriage is off.

Elmer fights with Benmore, punching him, prompting a police chase where Elmer flees in a cab with an armed crook. Forced to drive into the ocean, Elmer is rescued by a passing ship. Eager to avoid Trilby, he takes a job there, only to find she and Benmore are passengers. When the engine room catches fire and the order comes to abandon ship, Benmore panics and knocks Trilby unconscious, leaving her behind.

Elmer douses the fire, leaving them alone as crooks take over the ship. When their lecherous leader finds Trilby, Elmer battles the gang to save her. Returning to port triumphantly, he escorts Trilby home, ready to leave until she stops him, seeing his true worth.

*P.S: Buster Trying to cheer Trilby using this dog plushie, is one of the sweetest scene in the movie.

Spite Marriage (1929) – Production Insights

Variety, a prominent entertainment publication, created anticipation for “Spite Marriage” in its September 12, 1928 issue, proclaiming, “Buster Keaton’s next, ‘Spite Marriage,’ will also have dialog.” Exhibitors Daily Review echoed this on the same day, reporting that “Buster Keaton will do his initial speaking in ‘Spite Marriage.” However, despite these well-connected sources announcing the inclusion of dialogue, MGM had predetermined that the film would remain a silent one, devoid of recorded speech.

The studio’s production chief, Irving Thalberg, opposed Keaton’s aspirations to venture into the world of talkies. Thalberg’s reluctance was rooted in both financial and technical considerations. In the autumn of 1928, as the film industry transitioned into the sound era, MGM had only a single set of recording equipment at its disposal.

Furthermore, the studio’s executives believed that incorporating the intricacies and costs associated with sound technology would escalate the overall production expenses, particularly for a performer like Buster Keaton, known for his creative improvisations and flexible shooting style. Thalberg advocated for a technically uncomplicated approach, closely overseeing scripts and sets to minimize delays and maximize potential profits for Keaton’s second project with the studio.

Spite Marriage (1929) – Behind-the-Scenes Stories

According to the American Film Institute’s catalog, production commenced on November 14, 1928. This aligns with a report from Exhibitors Herald and Motion Picture World on November 27, indicating that Keaton initiated work on the film “last week.” News updates published in trade journals from 1928 suggest that the casting process was still in flux during the latter part of November.

On November 16, Exhibitors Daily Review disclosed, “Dorothy Sebastian has been given the feminine lead opposite Buster Keaton,” and on November 23, reported that “Edward [E]arle is playing the heavy in Buster Keaton’s picture, ‘Spite Marriage.'”

A week later, The Distributor, an MGM sales department publication, confirmed Leila Hyams’ substantial role in the upcoming Buster Keaton production, attributing her casting to her previous success in MGM’s crime drama “Alias Jimmy Valentine,” which had been released just two weeks earlier. The same publication also noted the addition of Sydney Jarvis and Hank Mann to the cast, with their roles, however, slated to be uncredited on the screen.

*P.S: Wondering what they are drinking? Is it s coffee? is it a cuppa tea?.. Apparently, it is a Ghirardelli Chocolate. 😀 … Here is a zoomed image of the Ghirardelli chocolate can

Spite Marriage (1929) – Reception Insights

Spite Marriage, released in 1929, enjoyed widespread acclaim from critics, film industry reviewers, and audiences. Leading newspapers, major trade journals, and moviegoers all lauded the film. The influential critic Mordaunt Hall from The New York Times provided insights into the audience’s reaction during the comedy’s premiere on March 25. He described how Keaton’s work evoked “a state of high glee” at Manhattan’s Capitol Theatre, with “waves of laughter from top to bottom of the house.”

Variety’s editor and reviewer, Abel Green, characterized Keaton’s production as “replete with belly laffs” and noted the Capitol’s audience being in “hysterics” and “mirthful” throughout the screening. Green, while expressing some reservations about certain aspects of the film, predicted that it would be a financial success and hailed it as an “enjoyable low comedy glorified slapsticker.”

The trade journal The Film Daily went even further, rating the MGM feature as “the funniest film released in months.” In its review, the publication highlighted Buster Keaton’s exceptional performance and the film’s non-stop, side-splitting laughs.

Walter R. Greene, reviewing the film for Motion Picture News after a preview, was astounded by Keaton’s work. He considered it not only Keaton’s best since transitioning from two-reel films but also “one of the best pieces of comedy business ever developed in a picture.” Greene compared Spite Marriage to Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush and emphasized the constant laughter from the audience.

The nation’s top movie-fan magazine, Photoplay, continued the praise in 1929, calling the film “hilarious,” “intense,” and “Chaplinesque.” In a later issue, Photoplay simply urged readers not to miss this exceptional work by Buster Keaton, highlighting Dorothy Sebastian’s excellent performance as well.