'Steamboat Willie' vs. 'Steamboat Bill'.

In this post I will compare Disney's first released Mickey Mouse cartoon to Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.', both released in 1928. Above: Walt Disney with Mickey's most famous scene from 'Steamboat Willie' (picture is from a later date).

Recently I've been watching more classic movies than ever, trying to get in touch with some of that inspiration those great animation artists from the 1920's and on. 'Talkies' or features with sound were only introduced in 1927 with the release of 'The Jazzsinger', which is still credited as 'the first feature film with synchronised sound', althought I'm pretty sure there were several other projects before with sound added to film, but they might not have been so succesful.

The fact that earlier movies didn't have any dialogues pushed the actors to create a much more physical and expressive performance, which must have made a real impact on the early animators. Actors in the movies back then had to make sure that the audience understood what was going on without saying a single word. Can you imagine, for example, a Woody Allen movie today without any sound? It's a real challenge! After talkies had made their debut, silent actors were having much trouble keeping their careers going. They had to tone down their presence and learn dialogues, which was completely the opposite of the way they had crafted their style for so long. Most of them learned the hard way, that they were from a different era. The ones that did make the transition were the funny guys, the comedy stars, who were still able to pull off their tricks and keep producing movies that focussed primarily on their stunts and slapstick gags.

Steamboat Bill, Jr.

So, I've been watching a lot of the Hal Roach library, mainly Laurel & Hardy shorts and early features (which were such a huge inspiration for Jack Hanna and Joe Barbera's 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons), and also Harold Lloyd and of course, Buster Keaton. Yesterday I was able to check out a pristine HD restoration of Keaton's absolutely great 1928 silent film 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.', which I have to admit had, I had never seen before. Steamboat Bill, Jr. was a hit back then and an inspiration for Up Iwerks and the rest of the animators working on Disney's earliest Mickey Mouse cartoons. Disney was working hard on his third Mickey cartoon, after 'Plane Crazy' and 'The Gallopin Gaucho' (Disney's first two silent Mickey's) had failed to find a distributor, when it was decided to add sound to the short. The addition of synchronised sound provided by Pat Powers' Cinephone system made all the difference and introduced movie goers to the first ever Mickey Mouse cartoon released.

Above: Steamboat Bill, Jr. was released to the theatre on May 12, 1928 and was a huge succes. Keaton was a star in those days, before his creative freedom was taken away and he became merely an actor in productions dictated by the studio heads at MGM, which ruined his career (Laurel and Hardy received the same treatment at the major studios after their break up with Hal Roach).

Above: Steamboat Willie premiered on November 18, 1928 at the Colony Theatre in New York, appearing in front of 'Gang War', a mediocre gangster film directed by Bert Glennon, starring Jack Pickford and Olive Borden.

Steamboat Bill vs Steamboat Willie.

Here's a comparison of Bill and Willie and an analysis of some of the similarities and differences between them. Remember, being able to hear sound while watching a movie was a great novelty at the time, something that had made all the difference for Disney while creating his cartoon shorts, so it's no wonder that music would become the heart of so many of them (think of his 'Silly Symphonies' shorts).  Also, Keaton himself was inspired to create his movie by the song 'Steamboat Bill', released in 1911 by the then popular recording artist Arthur Collins, who was pretty big between the 1890's and 1920's. The film has a wonderful funny and cleverly written story with strong characters, which was an enlightening experience for me, after seeing so many modern movies with completely over the top budgets and absolutely void of anything resembling a comprehensible screenplay. (Still images were taken from the newly digitally restored versions of both films).

'Steamboat Willie' was animated by Ub Iwerks, Les Clark, Johnny Cannon, Wilfred Jackson and Dick Lundy. 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' stars Buster Keaton, Tom McGuire, Ernest Torrence and Marion Byron.

KEATON: his film opens with a shot of the river, and of the two steamers that will be competing with each other on it: One is a brand new modern 'floating palace' as the proud owner calls it himself, The other steamer is an oldie and not-so-goodie, called 'Stonewall Jackson' which only has one more mate left on board, and the captain of course. The Arthur Collins song was also about a not-so-great boat trying to beat the record of the fastest steamer of the Mississippi, which was the 'Robert E. Lee', which had cost $ 200,000 Dollars to build, a huge sum of money back then. So the name Stonewall Jackson was Keaton's spin on it. (Both Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson and General Robert E. Lee were high commanding officers of the confederate Southern army during the American civil war between 1861-1865).

DISNEY: Steamboat Willie also opens with a shot of the steamer going about it's business on the river, although the cartoon never mentions any confrontation between competitors or a race them.

KEATON: The main characters are introduced and the confrontation which will last for seventy minutes until the climatic final is immediately set. Here is the wealthy businessman J.J. King and his entourage, who already owns most of the town that is settled there, including the hotels and the bank (hence the name Keaton gave him). The captain of the other steamer, William Canfield a.k.a  Steamboat Bill and his last mate are also introduced. They're hardboiled oldschool kind of guys, without any money to do much needed repairs.

DISNEY: Steamboat Willie aka Mickey Mouse makes his debut, whistling at the wheel of his steamer, an image that has now become almost iconic. The song he is whistling, accompanied by whistles on the boat itself, is the melody of that same Arthur Collins song, that inspired Keaton and is heard multiple times during the movie 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.'.

KEATON: Steamboat Bill receives a telegram that had been lying at the office for four days, it mentiones his son, who he hadn't seen since he was a child, but who promised to visit him once he finished school. He explains he'll be easy to spot at the trainstation by wearing a white carnation (this set up leads to some very funny siyuations immedeately as Keaton is introduced in the picture as Bill's son, as it's mother's day and everyone in town is wearing the same flower. The text card showing Bill's dialogue as he reads his much delayed message:

When Keaton arrives at the train station, he's carrying a large rectangular suitcase and a small guitar (also known as a Ukulele). His father is very disappointed to find his son has obviously turned into the creative/expressive type and has become completely the opposite of him and his mate.Willie is immediately taken into town to bolster his appearance. He is fitted for new cloths and gets a close shave. When Bill sees King laughing at him carrying the guitar, he smashes it with his foot. Check out the town's name, more about it below.

DISNEY: When Minnie arrives at the docks, she is carrying a large rectangular suitcase and a small guitar. She's late and the steamer has already sailed off, but Mickey catches her with large hook on a rope and pulls her aboard so she's still able to hitch along, although the guitar and the music sheets are eaten by a goat. (later I'll be showing you more comparisons for this sequence).

While visiting the Barbershop, Willie meets Kitty, a girlfriend from school, who is also visiting her hometown and her father. Keaton thickens the plot and throws in a forbidden romance as the girl appears to be no other than J.J. King's daughter. On top of his fathers disapproval, Willie now finds himself in love with his rival's daughter. Could his situation get any worse?

Above: Kitty King (played by comedy actress Marion Byron) arrives in River Junction, the town that plays host to this comedy/drama, where a young man finds himself having to choose between the affection of his girl and the respect of his father, where the succesful upperclass battle for honor with the working poor. It's all conflict and Willie is put right in the middle of it, not knowing which way to choose. There couldn't have been a better name for the arena Keaton picked for his dilemma. The men's feud never seizes to find closure and in the end, in an act of 'Deus ex Machina', the town is literally shredded to pieces as a huge hurricane passes. An excellent manifestation of an ancient plot trick from the old Greek, who's plays were ultimately unfolded by a one of their Gods appearing on stage, to unravel the conflicting story.

The town, to me, also symbolizes the passing of the silent era, and the coming of a new period of talking movies. You could even say it symbolizes Keaton's own life, as this was his last picture where he had all control over every aspect of the movie. After this, his contract was sold to MGM, and he became an actor for hire and lost all control over the script and editing process.

KEATON: Willie is bullied by his father, the captain of the ship, several times. Mostly when Willie does something very stupid, yet very funny, almost ruining the old steamer at every turn. In this scene, Bill has been trying to show Willie how to run steamer, leading Willie to crash the old boat into J.J. Kings 'floating palace', which is docked straight behind them.

DISNEY: Mickey is bullied by Pegleg Pete (a.k.a Black Pete), the captain of the ship, several times. When Mickey's having fun at the wheel, whistling his tune for instance, Pete barks at Mick to stop playing games and do his duty.

KEATON: As it appeared, when Willie crashed the boat into King's steamer, all his passengers on board fell to the ground, but most importantly, King himself, fell off the boat into the water, something Bill can appreciate greatly. Visibly enjoying himself, he grabs his pouch of chewing tobacco and even offers it to Willie, who doesn't want to pass up on this moment of male bonding with his father and takes a bite, but then faints after accidentally swallowing it.

DISNEY: Black Pete enjoys his rightful place at the wheel after barking orders at Mickey and kicking him down the stairs afterwards. He grabs his chewing tobacco and opens his mouth (and even his tooth) to spit. When the tobacco hits the ship's bell behind him, he's having another good laugh. Afterwards, he tries to recreate this little stunt and ends up spitting himself in the face (on another note: watch the visible difference between the first bell, part of the painted background, and the animated one in the following images).

KEATON: Immediately after Willie's chewing tobacco gag, the film cut's to a text card saying 'Eight bells and all is wrong' (in the restored HD version even the sound of the ship's bell heard eight times over the instrumental piano score). The following scene plays out at midnight.

In the old days, time aboard a ship was told by the number of times the ship's bell was stricken. Traditionally people used a 30-minute hour glass to know when to strike, which was done in a pattern of eight bells, six times over each 24 hours. The eight bells signal was given at four and eight o'clock, in the morning and afternoon, and at twelve o'clock noon and midnight.

Willie has a romantic rendez-vous planned in the moonlight with Kitty, but is caught by Bill who takes away his clothes and puts him back to bed. Willie still manages to slip away, only to meet with similar circumstances aboard King's steamer, displaying several more acrobatic stunt scenes Keaton was famous for (he always did all of his stunts himself, leading many to think that he actually was suicidal. During the making of one of his previous film 'Sherlock Jr.' in 1924, he actually broke his neck while falling on the railroad track....) When Bill spies Willy trying to go aboard the 'King' against his will, he feels betrayed and immediately arranges for him to return to Boston. The next morning Bill finds that King has managed to launch an investigation into the public safety of his steamer and that the 'Stonewall Jackson' has been condemned in the meantime.

Leaving town all on his own, Willie almost walks into Kitty several times but int the end fails to say goodbye to her. Meanwhile his father's fate grows darker by the minute. After starting a fight with King, he is thrown in jail. When Willie learns about this, he rips up his train tickets and decides to help his father. When Kitty finally meets him, she is unable to look him in the eye. He can't even speak to her. What ever they had, probably washed away in the storm, along with everything else in town.

A storm is coming, but Willie is decided to spring Bill from jail with a complete tool box baked into a loaf of bread. While the plan miserably fails, and Willie is carried away to the nearest hospital, the whole town is caught up in the hurricane. The docks are trashed along with King's steamer and his shops in town and even the hospital where Willie is brought. Some great scenes here, which must have cost plenty, even in those days. Whole blocks of houses are torn apart, giving Keaton the opportunity to create his greatest stunt ever: A complete house falls on top of him right where he is standing, leaving him without a single scratch as he's standing exactly where the open window in the top of the building was, while it collapses around him.

Above: Check out the second image. In a single frame, barely visible but there it is: on the left side shows a rope is showing, pulling the front of the house completely down on Keaton. Remember, in the movie, this scene goes by really fast and takes just a second. Below are some frames from a following sequence where Willie grabs hold of some loose hanging threads to rescue himself in the hurricane. Unfortunately for him, they're electrical wires. Early special effects, the electrical sparks are simply painted on top of the film cells.

Meanwhile, the whole jail slides off land and drifts down the river along with Bill in it, who is trying not to drown.

Okay, one more. Below you can see actrice Marion Byron playing Kitty King, caught on top of a house that's sliding across the river in the final climatic scene of the film. She's screaming to get Willie's attention. Willie throws an anchor her way and climbs across. She's clearly happy to see him. After this, he uses the rope and anchor to bring Kitty aboard the 'Stonewall Jackson'. Okay, so back up a little bit...Remember Minnie was late for Mickey's steamer and he still succeeded in getting her aboard? That scene was clearly inspired by this great final.

With Kitty in safety, Willie now turns his attention to his father, who is still in the local prison that's floating by in the river. Willie manages to get the steamer rolling all by himself and crashes the jail to save his dad from drowning. Aboard his boat, Bill is finally happy to meet Kitty for once, while Willie again uses the ropes to save Kitty's father, who's trying to survive his floating palace, that has now sunk to the bottom of the river.

King climbs aboard the 'Jackson' and everybody is happy. A final gag concludes the scene and the film as Willie, happy to be with Kitty again, leaves her and jumps off the ship to search for and save one last person. Willie returns with a priest to marry them. Among all the rubble of King's luxury steamer and the completely ruined town, against all odds, and a bit to the contrary of Arthur Collin's song, Bill's old steamer is the only thing left in the end, and it's still going strong!