''The High Sign'' is a 1921

two-reel A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

silent

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

, and written and directed by Keaton and Edward F. Cline. Its runtime is 21 minutes. Although ''

One Week One Week may refer to: * One Week (1920 film), ''One Week'' (1920 film), a short film starring and co-directed by Buster Keaton * One Week (2008 film), ''One Week'' (2008 film), a Canadian feature film directed by Michael McGowan * One Week (song), ...

'' (1920) was Keaton's first independent film short released, ''The High Sign'' was the first one made. Disappointed with the result, Keaton shelved it and the film wasn't released until the following year. The title refers to the secret hand signal used by the film's underworld gang.

Plot

Keaton plays a drifter who cons his way into working at an amusement park shooting gallery. Believing Keaton is an expert marksman, both the murderous gang the Blinking Buzzards and the man they want to kill end up hiring him. The film ends with a wild chase through a house filled with secret passages and trap doors.

Cast

- Our Hero (as 'Buster' Keaton) *

Bartine Burkett Bartine Burkett Zane (February 9, 1898 – May 20, 1994) was an American film actress. Burkett was born in Robeline, Louisiana to John Norvel Burkett and Bana G. (Howe) Burkett. She had a brother, Arthur. She gained acting experience in pr ...

- Miss Nickelnurser (uncredited) * Ingram B. Pickett - Tiny Tim (tall villain) (uncredited) *

Charles Dorety Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

- Drunk (uncredited) *

Al St. John Al St. John (also credited as Al Saint John and "Fuzzy" St. John; September 10, 1892 – January 21, 1963) was an early American motion-picture comedian. He was a nephew of silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, with whom he often performed on ...

- Man in target practice (uncredited)

Production

''The High Sign'' was Keaton's first independent production. In contrast to the "violent slapstick" of the films he had made with

Fatty Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked w ...

, this short film evinces the "dry and quiet comedy style" which would become Keaton's trademark. The climactic chase scenes inside the house take place on a split-level, cutaway set with revolving wall panels, trap doors, and hidden corridors in all the rooms. Filming took place at the studios of the Comique Film Corporation recently vacated by Arbuckle. Keaton also began working with Arbuckle's former cinematographer Elgin Lessley and technical director

Fred Gabourie Fred Gabourie (September 19, 1881 - March 1, 1951) was a technical director and department head. Gabourie was born in Tweed, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Seneca Indian tribe. He served in the Spanish–American War. He worked prim ...

, who remained with him until he signed with

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

in 1929.

Release

Though Keaton completed ''The High Sign'' a year earlier, he delayed its release because he felt it too closely mimicked Arbuckle's style; he also "thought the gags were too ridiculous and clever for their own sake". ''The High Sign'' was released April 4, 1921. At that time, Keaton had broken his ankle while filming the first version of ''

The Electric House ''The Electric House'' is a 1922 American short comedy film co-directed by and starring Buster Keaton. Plot Three graduating students drop their degree certificates, but each picks up the wrong ones off the floor. Keaton plays a botany studen ...

'' and his company needed to market a new film.

Contemporary soundtracks

Guitarist

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

released a soundtrack to the film in 1995 on his album '' The High Sign/One Week''. The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra premiered its new score for the film in 2008.

Carl Davis Carl Davis, (born October 28, 1936) is an American-born conductor and composer who has lived in the United Kingdom since 1961. He has written music for more than 100 television programmes, but is best known for creating music to accompany si ...

composed an original score in 2017.

References

Sources

External links

Senses of Cinema article on ''The High Sign''
*
''The 'High Sign
on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

''The High Sign''
at the

International Buster Keaton Society The International Buster Keaton Society Inc.— a.k.a. "The Damfinos"—is the official educational organization dedicated to comedy film producer-director-writer-actor-stuntman Buster Keaton. Mission According to the Damfinos, their mission is "t ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:High Sign, The 1921 films Films directed by Buster Keaton Films directed by Edward F. Cline American silent short films American black-and-white films 1921 comedy films 1921 short films Silent American comedy films Films produced by Joseph M. Schenck Films with screenplays by Buster Keaton Articles containing video clips 1920s American films