Seven Chances (1925)
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 56 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Buster Keaton
Stars: Buster Keaton, T. Roy Barnes and Snitz Edwards
IMDb score:
7,8 (13.484)
Releasedate: 15 March 1925
Seven Chances plot
"Seven laughs a minute!"
James "Jimmy" Shannon (Buster Keaton) and his business partner Billy Meekin (T. Roy Barnes) are in financial trouble when a lawyer (Snitz Edwards) shows up with papers on his grandfather's estate. The good man leaves Jimmy a whopping $7 million, but on one condition: Jimmy must be married on his 27th birthday before 7 p.m. And his birthday is.... today!
Actors and actresses
James 'Jimmie' Shannon
Billy Meekin
Lawyer
Mary Jones
Mrs. Jones
The Clergyman
The Hired Hand
Miss Smith the Country Club Receptionist (uncredited)
Hatcheck Girl (uncredited)
Girl in Car (uncredited)
Reviews & comments
Onderhond
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- 87737 messages
- 13162 votes
ketone.
I agree with the general tenor here. A very poor and sluggish first half hour, which is reasonably saved by a spectacular second part. It is nice that Keaton is trying something different, but with that he mainly proves that he is not as widely talented as he himself hoped.
Part 1 of this movie is actually a pretty lame romantic comedy. Few explicit jokes, or maybe they are so predictable and repeated so often that it barely registers as explicit humor. In terms of acting, depth or cinematic pleasure, it all represents very little. It is mainly very functional to tell a story.
The contrast with the second part is therefore very large. When Keaton combines his humor with action and stunts, it's immediately a whole lot better. Not in the least because the stunts still look pretty cool. It is also funny that the female crowd was not always enthusiastic about the stunt(s) they had to perform. For example, the crowd is remarkably smaller when suddenly you had to swim 
A nice ending, which raises the average nicely, but cannot immediately make you forget the poor first part. I quite like Keaton, but only when he's doing what he's really good at. Furthermore, it is unfortunately too outdated to drown in it.
2.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Bobbejaantje
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- 2365 messages
- 2119 votes
Crazy farce in which Buster Keaton also directs in addition to the leading role. The storyline is simple but effective: Keaton must get married before 7 p.m. or he will lose an inheritance of $7 million. The 7 chances refer to 7 ladies he is courting in a lobby (but which won't suffice).
The rock avalanche scenes are somewhat symbolic of the avalanche of female attention Keaton generates as a millionaire-to-be. At a certain moment you see that Keaton is hit by one of the colossal stones, but without a problem, because these were made of paper mache. Just like in previous work, the viewer has the time to enjoy himself with situational humor in the first part of the film, after which it gradually becomes more physical, up to a finale with all sorts of twists. Very successful.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Collins
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- 7652 messages
- 4561 votes
Great comedian, that Buster Keaton. With a steely facial expression that expresses dry comical melancholy and with great acrobatic ability, he is, in my opinion, one of the greatest comedians ever. Moreover, he was a gifted director and writer who was often responsible for the content and decoration of his films. Its peak was in the 1920s. The silent movie era. Movies like Sherlock Jr. and The General are true masterpieces.
Seven Chances appeared between the two masterpieces. The film is not considered his best work, although the commercial success was great. Keaton actually did not want to make the film based on Roi Cooper Megrue's 1916 play of the same name. He did anyway. He was in debt. I'm glad he did. Seven Chances is a wonderful movie.
His character in the film is also in debt. A huge windfall in the form of an inheritance can help him. There is a condition attached to the granting of the inheritance. He must be married by 7 p.m. on his 27th birthday. It's a simple storyline that takes some time to develop comically, but eventually degenerates into grand comedy.
Most of the film consists of scenes in which Keaton proposes marriage to several women, resorting to increasingly desperate means. Partly somewhat sluggish humor. Partly delicious comedy. The highlight of the film (with a frantic chase) is definitely in the last 20 minutes. Two words: delicious slapstick.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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