Although Buster Keaton had made a great many shorts, "The Three Ages" was only his second feature ("The Paleface" from 1920 was his first). The film had six reels, but could easily have been broken into three two-reel films if theater bookings had shown resistance.
Taken as a whole, the film could be considered a spoof of D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" (1916). "Intolerance" was a lengthy, expensive, heavy-handed epic that depicted how religious persecution had remained constant throughout history. "The Three Ages" was a comedy demonstrating that human courtship had remained the same through prehistoric, roman and modern times.
"The Three Ages" is similar in many respects to other Keaton features. He plays the lead character. He is a humble, stonefaced man who somehow gets involved in several spectacular stunts. He has a larger, bullying rival, and a sweetheart he is trying to win. The odds seem against him, but he comes out on top. This 'Keaton formula' made him one of the most enduring legends of the silent era, perhaps second only to Charlie Chaplin. Of course, it helped that Keaton was good at slapstick gags, which are abundant and often so funny that you will laugh out loud.
Keaton's rival is played by Wallace Beery, a burly man who was often cast as a dislikable bully ("Grand Hotel", "Dinner at Eight"). Oliver Hardy (without Laurel) is one of the supporting players.
Keaton's love interest was Margaret Leahy. Leahy was not a professional actress, but a beauty contest winner whose prize was a major film role. When it was discovered that she couldn't act, she was pawned off on Keaton. At least no one had to dub her lines! "The Three Ages" would be her only film.
Time has not been good to "The Three Ages". The film has been preserved, but it had already suffered much damage. Some of the frames have been completely ruined, with roaming, exploding white clouds covering the celluloid image. The quality of the surviving copies may account for the obscurity of "The Three Ages", which is much less famous than "The General", "Sherlock, Jr." and several other Keaton silents. (64/100)
The First Of Keaton's Independent Features Explores Love, Throughout The Ages. Includes 'the Goat' [1921] And 'my Wife's, Relations' [1922].More at HotMovieSale.com
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