A down on his luck young man makes several attempts at committing suicide but fails them too. He then finds himself becoming more confident through a series of petty adventures, to such an extent that this becomes his undoing.
Stunts
Keaton's failed drowning attempt is masterclass physical comedy.
Acting
His stone face makes every disaster ten times funnier.
Direction
Keaton and Cline pack more invention into 22 minutes than most features.
Director
Buster Keaton
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The famous 'high dive' ending was thought lost for decades until a partial print surfaced in 1987.
Keaton's suicidal protagonist was shockingly dark for 1921, pushing comedy into genuinely transgressive territory.
US
