“Tragedy is a close-up; comedy, a long shot.”
— Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. opened to a lukewarm reception from critics and audiences alike, with Keaton himself considering it “alright [but] not one of the big ones.” Nearly a century later, the forty-five-minute film is considered one of the greatest comedies of all-time, with the likes of Abel Ferrara and Molly Haskell ranking it in their 2022 Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time ballots. If that isn’t a long shot… To celebrate the film’s centenary, Quad Cinema is screening Sherlock, Jr. alongside other greats from Buster Keaton’s filmography, restored by the Cohen Film Collection.
Three days of double bills: Sherlock, Jr. & Steamboat Bill, Jr.; The Frozen North & Go West; and One Week & The General.