Mooching Through Georgia

Starring: Buster Keaton, Monte Collins, Harley Wood, Bud Jamison, Lynton Brent
Directed by: Jules White
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Short, Comedy
Length: 19 minutes
1939

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A man (Buster Keaton) gets caught between Union and Confederate soldiers and must impersonate both to escape.

Review:

Tim: Buster Keaton is a legendary comedian from the early days of cinema. I've always been interested in his transition from silent film star into talkies. He was able to make the transition, but his career definitely hit setbacks. He made a series of short films that featured a lot of his trademark physical humor, but they didn't quite capture him at his height. Mooching Through Georgia is a solid short- not his best, but far from his worst.

The premise here is funny, but utterly ridiculous. During the Civil War, two brothers decide to enlist. One enlists in the Confederate Army, the other in the Union Army. This is played for laughs- like, "How did we mess that up?" The film requires suspension of disbelief, as both the Union and Confederate armies are variously controlling the same small location. It's absurd and unrealistic, but it does drive the majority of the film's laughs. It's one of those movies you just have to go with if you want to enjoy it. I wish the premise had been a bit more realistic, but I get it.

The whole short is basically Buster Keaton having to switch Union and Confederate uniforms back-and-forth. It's humorous, to see the hijinks, pratfalls, and other ridiculous situations he finds himself in. The short did actually feel a bit too long at 19 minutes- the story gets repetitive long before the film ends. At a certain point, we get it. It's not all bad- I can't say there is a long list of Civil War comedies out there, so I appreciated that unique setting for the film. The gags themselves are pretty funny. More than many of Keaton's similar shorts from this time period, the choreography felt exceptionally well done here. The gags had to be meticulously planned, that much is obvious. That being said, a lot of the humor comes from logs hitting people in the head. That's not the highest form of comedy, but it's still funny. I wouldn't say I was laughing hysterically, but the gags are cute and mostly effective. It's not a bad way to spend 19 minutes.

I do wish Keaton was able to continue his upward path. There's a bit of a sense of a fallen actor here, although you also have to admire his perseverance. He continued his career as best as he was able. This might not be the most memorable film, but it works and it's another success on his list.

Mooching Through Georgia feels like a minor short film, but it still have more positives than negatives. It's always fun to see Keaton show his trademark physical comedy. Monte Collins adds a nice supporting performance and the whole supporting cast works well. You can do better than this short, but you can do worse, too. It's worth seeing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: General Nuisance, His Ex Marks the Spot