Plot: At a small, one room house, two farmhands (Buster Keaton & Joe Roberts) get into all kinds of mishaps and mischief. When Buster has a toothache, the pair tries various remedies to pull the bothersome chomper and of course, winding up doing more harm than good in the process. A wild breakfast follows, as the room seems to come alive with automation and mechanical wonders of all kinds, designed to serve the meal, clean up, then disappear back into the home’s decorations. The day takes a sharp turn however, when the roommates compete for the attention of a neighbor’s daughter, once again proving to be a troubled filled endeavor.

Entertainment Value: This is a wild one, with the breakfast table sequence as a simply unforgettable, insanely creative effort, even by Buster Keaton’s high standards. I could watch the section of The Scarecrow over and again, as it is so precise and never ceases to amaze and entertainment me. The attention to detail is remarkable and I have the process to plan and execute those routines was troublesome, but it all falls into place so well and is beyond impressive. That is the kind of scene that is immortal, as it is will always be hilarious, no matter how old the short might be when someone discovers it for the first time. The rest of the short is fun as well, with some neat back and forth between Buster, Joe Roberts, Sybil Seely, and even Buster’s father Joe, but it is the breakfast table scene that stands out, at least to me. In any event, The Scarecrow is a delight and is highly recommended.

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