The Haunted House (1921)

“The Haunted House” is a 1921 American two-reel silent comedy film starring Buster Keaton, written and directed by Keaton and Edward F. Cline. In this film, Buster Keaton plays the bank clerk. When glue gets spilled, it causes chaos by sticking everything, including the money, to everything else. When the robbers arrive, Buster can’t raise his hands because they’re stuck in his pockets. The thieves use the haunted house, rigged with spooky effects, to scare away the police.

According to the “legacy” section on Wikipedia, Christopher Workman remarked, “This film hails from an earlier, more straightforward era of comedy narratives. It struggles to hold up in modern times, yet retains a naive allure. Even during its initial release, the concept of criminals inhabiting haunted houses was hardly novel, having been prevalent in the genre for almost twenty years.”

According to IMDB Trivia, the lady bank customer who faints is played by Natalie Talmadge, who was Buster Keaton’s wife.

You can watch the full film by hitting the play button below:

The Haunted House (1921) Cast

• Buster Keaton: bank clerk
• Virginia Fox: bank president’s daughter
• Joe Roberts: bank cashier
• Edward F. Cline: bank customer
• Dorothy Cassil: flirty bank customer (uncredited)
• Mark Hamilton: tallest ghost (uncredited)
• Natalie Talmadge: fainting female bank customer (uncredited)

The Haunted House (1921) Storyline

Buster Keaton plays a bank clerk who starts his day by accidentally getting glue all over some money. This causes a lot of humorous trouble as the money sticks to everything.

While this is happening, two thieves disguised as employees try to rob the bank. Buster accidentally stumbles upon their plan, but instead of catching them, he ends up being mistaken for a robber himself! In an attempt to escape the confusing mess, he runs into a nearby house without realizing that it’s been set up to look haunted by the same thieves.

The house is full of fake ghosts, skeletons, and secret passages. These spooky setups are all part of the thieves’ plan to keep people away. Buster’s adventures in the house are filled with his trademark slapstick comedy and impressive stunts. Meanwhile, the real police and the bank president’s daughter (who likes Buster) begin to figure out what’s really going on with the bank robbery and the haunted house.

The movie wraps up with lots of laughs and thrills as Buster cleverly dodges the crooks and the house’s spooky tricks. With some help from the heroine, the police finally catch the bad guys, and Buster is celebrated as a hero.

“The Haunted House” mixes comedy with a bit of suspense and shows off Buster Keaton’s ability to turn chaotic scenes into hilarious and entertaining moments. It’s a fun, early film that showcases his talent for comedy and creative filmmaking.