Die hohe Kunst des Scheiterns

In *The Finishing Touch*, Stan and Ollie are tasked with assembling a prefabricated house for $500 – but their clumsiness proves a major obstacle to their success. Charlie Chaplin cuts a passable figure as a roller-skater in THE RINK, for with his ballet-like performance he is sure to catch the women’s eyes, including the heart of one young lady. Life in a garage is no easy matter, especially when you’re all thumbs like Roscoe Arbuckle and Buster Keaton. THE GARAGE offers a burlesque-style barrage of gags that leaves the audience dizzy. The comedy stars of the silent film era display absurd clumsiness paired with artistic elegance. Their physical fitness puts today’s actors to shame.
(Raimund Fritz)