Movie spotlight
Five Brides
A Soviet propaganda film based on material from the Bolshevik coup. During the Russian civil war, the Whites, that anti-Communist force that fought against the Bolsheviks during that period, capture a Jewish Ukranian village; the gang commander threatens a pogrom, and will kill everyone in the village unless the inhabitants agree to give to the White Officers five virgin girls in wedding dresses. Under such terrible pressure, the Jewish council of the town decides, full of sorrow and despair, to sacrifice their daughters to the drunken officers but fortunately and just in time, a detachment of partisans that belong to the Red Army, comes and frees the village.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young man needs to get married five times in one day to inherit a fortune. He attempts to fulfill this daunting task by enlisting the help of his friends and facing various comedic obstacles.
Critical Reception
As a short film from the early silent era, 'Five Brides' is often viewed as a charming but minor work in Buster Keaton's prolific career. While it showcases his signature physical comedy and deadpan delivery, it is not typically considered among his most groundbreaking or impactful films.
What Reviewers Say
Features classic Buster Keaton physical gags.
A slight, though amusing, entry in his short film catalog.
Highlights Keaton's unique brand of understated comedy.
Google audience: Audience reviews often mention the film's humorous premise and Keaton's characteristic comedic timing, though some find it less substantial than his feature-length works.
Fun Fact
This short film was reportedly one of the last shorts Keaton made for MGM before he lost creative control over his features.
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