Sybil Seely Movies

In what is perhaps Buster Keaton's most fatalistic short subject, the comedian portrays a husband who has been diligently building a boat in his basement. It's finally done, and he, his wife (Sybil Seely) and their two boys prepare to tow it to the harbor for its first run. The car slowly pulls the craft, which is too big to fit, through the basement doorway, and the house just as slowly collapses. But this is just the beginning -- at the pier, the car sinks, the christening bottle dents the hull, and then the boat itself sinks, with Buster aboard. But as the title says: "You can't keep a good boat down." Finally the little boat is at sea (even if its life preserver sinks and anchor floats), and Buster and his family try valiantly to makes themselves at home as the waves toss them to and fro. Of course this can't go on forever; in the darkest part of the night, a storm fiercely blows and the boat begins to sink. Buster desperately radios for help, but when the telegraph operator (played by Keaton's co-director, Eddie Cline) asks for the boat's name, and Buster replies "Damfino" (which is, in fact, its name), the operator angrily replies, "Neither do I!" As Buster and his family cram into their makeshift lifeboat, the situation looks very bad, but somehow they wind up on land. "Where are we?" the wife wants to know. There's no need for a title card to record Buster's reply: "Damned if I know!" This is one of Keaton's best two-reelers, which was almost lost to the ravages of time and deterioration -- when Keaton's work was first being restored, only one print of The Boat was found, and several scenes were nearly past the point of salvaging. But the picture squeaked through intact, and its indelible images have become a part of silent film's heritage. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

In Buster Keaton's second two-reel comedy to be released, he is golfing (though not very well) with a group of socialites. He knocks himself out and while unconscious, an escapee from a nearby prison exchanges his uniform with Buster's clothes. When Buster comes to, he finds himself on the lam from dozens of prison guards. Buster evades them -- until he dashes right into the prison. There he runs into one of his golfing friends (Sybil Seely), who is the warden's daughter. The girl finds his prison garb a hilarious joke until her father mentions that Buster (according to the number on his sleeve) is to be hanged that day. With the help of an elastic band, the girl saves him from this fate, but then Buster has to overcome a prison riot and a huge, brutish fellow convict (Joe Roberts). He is successful, and for his trouble, is awarded the job of assistant warden. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide