blumdeluxe "The Navigator" is a silent movie from the 20's starring Buster Keaton about a young, snobby man who decides to marry and all of a sudden finds himself trapped on a ship with his designated bride to be. Quite unlucky in his actions, he soon gets the two of them in serious trouble.The film is a classical slapstick movie. Most of the playtime consists of Keaton doing something stupid, falling over things or breaking them. The story definitely has some plot holes and some of the details are just never explained but every here and then there's actually a decent gag presented. Of course as a silent film this one works a lot with visual humor and that's just something modern audiences aren't really used to. From today's perspective, some of the sequences seem quite long and there are passages in which not much happens. For all those reasons it was a bit hard for me to find access to the film, even though I do appreciate the efforts undertaken to produce a movie back in the days.All in all this is probably first and foremost something for slapstick- or Buster Keaton-Fans. If you're looking for straight-forward, visual comedy, this might be a thing for you. Otherwise I have to say that there are alternatives worth considering.

CJBx7 THE NAVIGATOR (1924) tells the story of a bored, wealthy young man (Buster Keaton) who, after having his marriage proposal rejected, decides to go for a cruise. Unfortunately, he winds up on the wrong boat and sets sail on an empty ship that is headed for destruction. There he meets his would-be fiancée (Kathryn McGuire), whose father sold the ship to a small country at war, and whose enemies decided to set it adrift. Comic complications ensue. Directed by Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp.SCRIPT: THE NAVIGATOR is definitely one of Keaton's most entertaining efforts. The movie lasts barely an hour, but is full of comic invention and ingenuity. Among the highlights are Keaton's hilariously inept attempts to make breakfast on the ship, his battle with a swordfish, and their epic battle against cannibals. This movie gave my wife and me lots of laughs! SCORE: 9/10ACTING: Buster Keaton was known for his "stoneface" routine, remaining comically unflappable in the face of dire circumstances, and he does it well here. He does well at portraying the bored rich young man, and is also very athletic when the situation calls for it. Kathryn McGuire is also very good as his love interest. McGuire comically mocks the "damsel in distress" style of acting at times, and she's very game for all of the slapstick funny business as well. They are the two who are most prominent in the movie; in fact, they're the only people involved for long stretches of the film, and their chemistry and talent help keep things afloat. SCORE: 9/10CINEMATOGRAPHY/PRODUCTION: This film was expertly shot by Byron Houck and Elgin Lessley. In many cases, all they have to do is just set the camera up and let it roll to capture Keaton's stunningly inventive gags, but there are nice tracking shots and underwater camera-work as well. Also, the battle between Keaton, McGuire, and the cannibals is given the right epic feel while still being quite funny. Solid work overall. SCORE: 8/10SUMMARY: THE NAVIGATOR is great fun, with lots of inventive gags and great comic chemistry between the two leads. It's one of Keaton's best films, and it stands the test of time as a wonderful example of the imaginative richness of silent comedy. SCORE: 9/10

rdavies0303 Perhaps not the greatest Keaton but probably my favourite. A likable film. Are there though different versions? I am sure I have seen a version where all the cabin doors swing open early on, in fact when Buster first starts to explore the Navigator. In my DVD though the scene occurs later on when Buster and the girl are worried about possible intruders.Again the DVD doesn't have the scene where the girl pumps too much air into Buster's diving suit. The suit is blown up like barrage balloon.In fact I believe I have seen two quite different versions of the scene in "The Boat" where the newly-constructed craft is launched and sinks like a stone.Has anyone else had these experiences?

tomgillespie2002 While his set-pieces were certainly on a lower scale than Harold Lloyd, and his films were less politically and socially aware than Charles Chaplin, the great Buster Keaton was certainly a resourceful man, and wholly dedicated to the art of prop comedy. In 1924, he would buy his biggest prop in the USAT Buford, a liner that served in World War I and was destined for the scrap heap until Keaton stepped in. Keaton and co- director Donald Crisp sat down to write a new comedy based around their new toy, a giant ship that was ripe with endless comedic possibilities, and one which Keaton had free reign. And out of this came The Navigator, one of Buster Keaton's most loved comedies.Bored rich-kid Rollo Treadway (Keaton) decides one day to get married, and travels across the street to propose to neighbour Betsy (Kathryn McGuire). Confident that she will say yes, he asks his servant to book honeymoon tickets for Honolulu that very night, but naturally, she turns him down. Rollo decides to go anyway, and a mistake leads to him getting on the wrong ship, the SS Navigator, which has just be sold to an enemy by Betsy's father in an unknown war. Her father is seized while checking the ship by some local gangsters, and Betsy, hearing her father's shouts, wanders onto the ship before it is cut loose. The ship drifts out into the Pacific Ocean, with Rollo and Betsy all alone to face the perils of savage tribes, dodgy equipment, and having to make breakfast all by themselves.While I do prefer the films of Chaplin, Keaton's reputation as the greatest physical comedian of all time is well justified, with his doe- eyed, helpless expression providing some great subtle comedy between the prat-falls (his nickname was the Great Stone Face). One of the opening scenes aboard the ship has the two characters sensing each other's presence and running manically around the ship, missing each other by inches. It's a remarkably well-timed moment, and McGuire (who co-starred in other Keaton films) proves game and much more than the archetypal love interest. Although I much preferred the likes of Sherlock, Jr. (1924), The General (1926) and Steamboat Bill, Jr (1928), there are some inspired moments here involving Rollo's helpless attempts to open a can of food, a rickety deck-chair, and an underwater sword-fight with a swordfish. If the ending is tinged with a bit of racism (they're black and on an island, of course they're cannibals!), it seems to be more of a case of innocent ignorance, and The Navigator is a 60-minute hoot, though some plot-strands are left somewhat neglected and open-ended.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com