The Cameraman poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Buster Keaton, Marceline Day, Harold Goodwin, Sidney Bracey, Harry Gribbon ... see more see more... , William Irving , Dick Alexander , Edward S. Brophy , Vernon Dent , Ray Cooke

This is one of the last films from Buster Keaton's classic period, before the coming of sound and interference from MGM spoiled his work and softened his popularity. The Great Stone Face portrays Luke... read more read more... Shannon, a "tintype" portrait photographer who develops a serious crush on Sally (Marceline Day), a beautiful woman who works as a secretary for MGM's newsreel department. Luke's primary rival for Sally's affections is a cameraman for the company, so Luke decides to sign to the newsreel department in hopes of impressing her. However, his hand with a movie camera is not especially sure at first; he mistakenly double exposes a reel of film that results in battleships sailing down Broadway, while his attempts to get footage of a Tong battle seem more successful until an organ grinder's monkey runs off with his film. Luke gets the axe before long, but he's not about to give up, and he tries to find another way to impress his lady love. This was Keaton's first film under a new contract with MGM, and director Edward Sedgwick for the most part allowed Keaton to stick to the creative formula of his best work. However, that would soon change, and many Keaton aficionados consider The Cameraman to be his last truly important work. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

55% want to see it

2,211 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

13 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 18 min.

Directed by: Edward M. Sedgwick

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: February 20, 1991

Get It:
report incorrect info

Photos

The Cameraman Norman McNeil, Buster Keaton and Marceline Day Buster Keaton and Marceline Day The Cameraman
Upload a Photo | View All The Cameraman Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (140)

  • Saxia
    November 12, 2011
    Saxia
    My first Buster movie! And I really liked it!
    He must've had a lot of bruises in a period where stunt men weren't available! What I liked about it was the expressiveness and the tight choreography, every movement is timed without looking strained or enforced.
    It was painful and f... read moreunny at the same time, the scene in the changing room is hilarious.
    Buster is such a cute and lovable actor. I'm definitely interested in seeing more of his work.
  • rubystevens
    October 10, 2011
    rubystevens
    my new favorite keaton film and the last one he made relatively free from interference at mgm. chaplin warned him not to sign :(
  • ajv2688
    September 3, 2010
    ajv2688
    This is such a sweet movie, I love it. It's funny, exciting, and has a good story.
  • bottcorecords1
    April 20, 2010
    bottcorecords1
    Buster Keaton plays a street photographer who sees the girl of his dreams. He later tracks her down, finding out she works as a secretary in the newsreel department at M.G.M., and trades his tintype camera in for a cheap, 2nd hand movie camera. He tries desperately to get a job... read more in the newsreel department and of course, impress her, but his every happless attempt seems to fail. There are many great, memorable scenes in this film, most notably the date the two have. Keaton's knack for physical humor has been reeled in a bit, but there are some scenes that are still quite funny. Overall, it's a subtle, sweet romantic comedy starring one of the greatest of all time.
  • ceWEBrity
    February 3, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    One of the forgotten great comedies of the silent era. Buster Keaton was a badass.
  • staindslaved
    July 16, 2011
    staindslaved
    One of the best Keaton storylines and performances. The physical gags and stuntwork are lessened here as MGM begins there overtaking of the beloved stone face. Luckily we were able to get this film out of the deal. Keaton was able to squeeze one fantastic stunt scene into this... read more film as the main character struggles to move about and capture a full out gang was in Chinatown. The number of stuntmen and extra's involved in this sequence is quite a feat to behold. The Cameraman is one of Keaton's finest examples of his directorial prowess.
  • MightySparks
    January 11, 2011
    MightySparks
    Meh. Typical, unfunny Keaton. Wasn't totally horrible though.
  • alexanderjh
    July 17, 2010
    alexanderjh
    The Cameraman is a silent film that stars Buster Keaton as an awkward, love struck, and often adorable young man whose desire for the young and darling Sally (Marceline Day) causes him to purchase a camera and begin filming everything he sees with the hope of winning her affectio... read moren or, at the very least, the hope of being closer to her.

    The film has many memorable moments, but one in particular that captivated me was Buster playing baseball in Yankee stadium. His body language was so meticulous and so very precise that one cannot help but admire Buster Keaton as the very best; he is the original comedian. My favorite scene however is when Buster is sprinting, at inane speeds, down flights of stairs to a ringing telephone, to a wonderfully animated score-a score that is persistent through the entire film. We see him walk back up to a slower, more depressing melody and then back down he comes, quickly, to the haphazard play of music. This scene is one that I will remember for quite some time as its singular perspective altogether fascinated me. It goes without saying that the choreography in The Cameraman is as impressive as ever. Most notable is the scene in the men's dressing room at the local swimming pool.

    My favorite character in this film however, isn't the title character, but The Cop played by Harold Goodwin. He stole me with his expressions when Buster was sprinting through the busy New York streets. Oh yes, and the monkey. There is something so perfect about the pairing of Buster Keaton and a monkey that you wonder why it hasn't been done before.

    The Cameraman is something only Buster Keaton can perform. It is, a marvelous treat and his masterpiece
  • jam233
    June 28, 2009
    jam233
    Buster Keaton is a brilliant comedian, and The Cameraman is among his best. It is very funny, his physical humor, body language and facial expressions are ingenious. An extremely rewarding film to watch, pure genius.

View All The Cameraman Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
August 30, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Studio interference damaged the film but could not destroy it. Full Review

Ken Hanke
February 3, 2005
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Keaton's last great comedy.

Jeffrey M. Anderson
February 1, 2005
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

The Cameraman gave Buster one of his best roles and he filled it with one of his most touching and fleshed-out performances, using mostly his intense eyes. Full Review

Eric Henderson
December 18, 2004
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine

One of Keaton's most impressively self-reflective films and an ode to the unexpected and elusive lightening-in-a-bottle nature of filmmaking. Full Review

John J. Puccio
November 24, 2004
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...the old Keaton magic could not be entirely dampened by the studio's dictums, and The Cameraman includes a number of very funny bits. Full Review

Thomas Delapa
August 25, 2004
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly

Buster's last definitive feature, despite studio meddling. Full Review

Dan Jardine
December 18, 2002
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide

Keaton's feature is easily the best work he did within the studio structure Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Mordaunt Hall
March 25, 2006
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Don Druker
January 1, 2000
Don Druker, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • City Lights
    City Lights (50%)
  • Chelovek s kino-apparatom (Man with a Movie Camera)
    Chelovek s kino-apparatom (Man with a Movie C... (0%)

More Movies like The Cameraman

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Luke Shannon: This is my dressing room.
    • Man in Dressing Room: Shut up... or it'll be your coffin!
Submit a Fact | View All

The Cameraman : Watch Free on TV

The Cameraman Trivia

  • George Lucas was a cameraman on this 1970 rock documentary, but due to a camera jam, the footage he shot was unusable and does not appear in the final version of the film.  Answer »
  • Horror tale of a cameraman obsessed with capturing victims on film at the moment of death?  Answer »
  • In Groundhog Day, How much did Larry (cameraman) sell for at the man auction?  Answer »
  • In "Groundhog Day," who was the cameraman who drove the van?  Answer »
More The Cameraman Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Cameraman. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Cameraman to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?