One Week (Buster Keaton, 1920)
What is the film about?
The film One Week (Buster Keaton, 1920) is a story about a newlywed couple who after their wedding are gifted a wedding gift of a kit house. They receive instructions of how to construct the house which it tells them to assemble the materials that are in numbered crates. But, a man plots against them, a man who was rejected by the newly wedded women. At first he is their taxi after the wedding but when they try and switch carriages, he swerves out the way so that the man doesn’t make it onto the other carriage. After this all is resolved and the newlywed couple make it to there kit house but while they are romanticising there new house plot, the rejected man secretly renumbers the packing crates, the 1 becomes a 4 and the 3 becomes an 8 and as a result there house has a lopsided structure which has revolving walls as well as kitchen fixtures on the exterior of the house. Also, the upper-floor doors open into thin air so if someone stepped out they would go flying. The days pass and this is evident by the dated shots and during the newlyweds housewarming party on Friday the 13th, a storm comes about which spins the house around and around an the occupants within the house begin to spin around inside like a merry-go-round until they all fall out.
After the storm wrecked there house, the couple have been told they they have built there house on the wrong lot and they must move there house, so they manage to put rollers underneath there house and attempt to move it, however hey struggle and end up getting the house stuck on some railway tracks. Then, the couple attempt to move the house off of the railway as they are being approached by an oncoming train however when it reaches them the train passes on the opposite track, in relief the couple becoming less stressed until the house is struck with another oncoming train. They stare at the incident that has just taken place and walk off placing a ‘For Sale’ sign on the heap of the house.
How is the story told?
The story is told in a linear structure with one event after the other taking place in the order of events, and time passing is shown through certain significant shots, this is important because it allows the audience to understand this passing of time as the story is being told.
Who are the main characters and what happens to them?
The main characters in this film and the bride and groom who are a newly wedded couple who have been gifted a house and as they build it things increasingly go wrong resulting in them selling there house in a heap. The bride however, has an admirer who is out to ruin the relationship of the newly married couple and his presence changed the course of the film as he makes difficult challenges for the two protagonists to get over. Ultimately the main characters live happily as they move away from there destroyed portable house.
How is the narrative structured?
This film is structured sos one vent happens after another in a chronological order, the organisation of the story is clear because of the strong focus that there is on this one week in the life of these two newly wedded as they begin to build there new house and have to overcome many obstacles along the way. The linear narrative structure allows the film to be followed easily by the audience.
Does the film belong to a particular genre?
This film is ultimately a comedy film, Buster Keaton, the director of this film, is commonly known for the physical comedy in his films and One Week conforms the stereotypes of a Buster Keaton film. This films comedy aspects run throughout from the expressions of the characters to the plot of the story itself.
How does it conform to or deviate from genre conventions?
This film ultimately conforms to the comedy film stereotypes massively as a convention of comedy fils is that there is many locations to allow the characters to interact with different settings and people, this is evident as Buster Keaton used interior and exterior, also One Week conforms to the genre convention:
Cinematography in comedy tends to aim towards a naturalistic shot, where all character are shown as equal, no-one is made to appear bigger and better than the another person.
There are various different types of comedy, and ultimately it is interchangeable but this film does conform to the comedy genre in comparison to deviating from it.
Who made the film?
This film as made by an American man named Buster Keaton, he was an American actor, as well as a comedian as well as a film director and what he was bets known for was the silent films that he produced during the 1920s. Within these films he not only directors them but he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. Keaton was bets known for his deadpan expression as well as the elaborate visual comedy that he portrayed on the screen, this helped to define these comedy films of the 1920s.
Does the film exhibit auteur qualities?
Being an auteur means having a direct style of art associated with their voice as a filmmaker, and working consistently in that artistic space over and over. Their personality has to shine in a way that the audience finds relatable.
This film in fact does display multiple auteur qualities, something significant about most of Buster Keatons films is that he uses realist techniques such as flat lighting, deep focus and many long takes and this is evident in this film ‘One Week’
What do you think the filmmakers wanted to say?
I think that Buster Keaton wanted to bring some comedy to peoples lives and also, this film was one of Buster Keatons first independent releases so it was almost a mark of this is what his films are like. He was portrayed his creativity through film.
Does the film attempt to convey a message or ideology?
The message that Buster Keaton is trying to convey is that there are many aspects of American society (like gender, role stereotypes and even the American Dream) however Keaton within this film is trying to oppose many of what are classed as ‘social normalities’. He portrays this by being unable to build a house, on the correct plot of land.
Do the filmmakers use any interesting techniques to convey information to the audience?
Throughout Buster Keaton used various different interesting techniques to convey information to the audience as well as just doing for the sake of doing it, and he especially uses editing to creating meaning and help to provide the audience with information in this expressionistic way. An example of where Keaton uses editing interestingly is in the first sequence of this film, there is a wide shot of the newly wedded couple leaving the church and the use of vignetting is used to act as a transition to the next sequence, this is where the edges fade.
Are the key elements of film form innovative or particularly effective? Does the film have a distinct aesthetic?
The key elements are effective as always in films, as they themselves help to portray different things especially in this film, editing plays a large role.
Does the film hold a significant place in film history?
Like previously said, this film is significant because it is said to be the first of Keaton's independent releases,
How does the film reflect the social, cultural, historical, and political context in which it was produced and exhibited? How is the film representative of the institutions and technologies that made it?
How does the film represent particular individuals or groups of people?
This film represents many parts of American society but they are represented in a different way to how say they would have stereotypically been presented. It opposes many of what are classed as ‘social normalities’.
How does Keaton create humour in the film?
Buster Keaton creates humour in the film through the focus on the expressions the characters pulls, this is significant because it provides the audience with context as to the events that are happening on screen. Keaton is known for his ability to amuse an audience and create this feeling of comedy to the audience something that is significant is that he doesn’t need a laugh in every scene. He wanted the audience to believe in his characters, which only made the comedy that much more impactful. In every sequence, Keaton has this deadpan expression, with multiple different stunts, which sold every scene.
What was your personal reaction to the film?
I personally really enjoyed this film, I haven’t tended to watch many silent films but I really enjoyed this and found it quite funny. The information that is portrayed through a film which is silent is incredible and so obvious to the audience what is happening, I did enjoy this film a lot and was surprised at how much I would actually of enjoyed it.
Do you think your reaction is typical of most spectators?
I think the reaction of typical spectators would be very similar to mine in that this is a film that was clearly very thought out and well executed and has made a historical impact on film even today.
Which sequences were particularly effective or enjoyable?
I particularly enjoyed the sequence where the house was spinning and everyone was falling over inside as it showed difference in the film and establishes how much effort was put in the film from each individual, however not only this but I also enjoyed the final part of this film as the panic the characters were in was obvious and the continuous question of what is going to happen next is present as there are various cases where the events are twisted which is what makes the film so enjoyable.