This is such a brilliant little movie, so far ahead of its time, and like the rest of Keaton's work, so influential for generations to come. There are comedy bits that are still fresh today, a sweet romance blended in, and what seems like one great scene after another for 67 minutes.Keaton's character is lovable as a sweet guy who has fallen for a women (Marceline Day) who works in a newsreel agency, and who tries his best to 'make good' there as a cameraman. He runs to jump on a firetruck on the way to filming a fire, only to find out it's going back to its station. He goes out to the ballpark to cover the game, only to find out the Yankees are on the road in St. Louis that day, and then proceeds to skillfully pantomime pitching, batting, and running the bases. Later in the film, he'll get a monkey as a sidekick on his way to filming a Chinese holiday celebration that turns into an all-out gang war. By the way, that monkey is fantastic, and clearly well-trained.On the romantic side, Keaton convinces Day to go out with him, and after eagerly waiting for her call, tears down the stairs when the phone rings, with the camera following him in a nice side view all the way. Day is pursued by others who are more polished and better off than Keaton, but her character recognizes his sweetness and tries to look out for him. Keaton's physical comedy is brilliant while embarrassed in a room full of girls at her residence while waiting for her to come out, and then later as he crawls from the top of a double-decker bus to the lower level where she sits after they've been separated. There are then some excellent scenes at the pool: first, him changing in a very small space with another man, and then later losing his oversized swim trunks in the pool.This is a comedy that shows a lot of creativity and skill, but also manages to be touching and heartfelt. Its pace is great and there is never a dull moment with Keaton on the screen. Day is quite fetching as well. Great movie.

There's so much creativity in this film. It's amazing to remember that this was made before maybe 99.9% of everything else (movies and TV) I've ever seen. There are stunts I've never seen before and lots of innovative shots and sequences.There's a powerful truth and subtlety to Buster Keaton's performances. It's not fake or forced or exaggerated, he doesn't even seem to be trying for laughs. His character isn't stupid but is often oblivious - he accidentally bumps things, misses details, gets things mixed up. Perhaps he's clumsy because he's so indifferent. He isn't careful because not many things matter much to him and he doesn't get hurt easily. But when he's set on achieving something, he does crazy, impressive, imaginative things and is seems almost unstoppable.Buster executes his stunts and physical comedy perfectly and yet it still all looks natural and accidental as if his character didn't mean it at all. That takes a huge amount of skill. He stays in character the whole time. And then his reaction afterwards is almost always mild. It doesn't need to be more, it's the concept that is hilarious. In spite of his efforts to learn from mistakes and avoid trouble, things always seem to go wrong. We've all had experiences like this so it's funny to see his confusion and frustration as he tries to figure out what's going on.His comedy isn't so much about anticipation as execution. We're not sure what's going to happen in a situation and often it's simpler and more primitive that what we might've guessed. But when it happens, it's always timed so well and looks incredibly graceful and comical. We're amazed and surprised while Buster just shrugs and moves on.The monkey is really cool, he must have been trained pretty well. The way he interacts with Buster is cute and awesome.The Cameraman is also fairly romantic. Buster falls in love and you see it in his eyes and posture. He goes into a daze. It's a simple and innocent thing that happens. The girl becomes all that matters to him and he does many things for her without asking anything in return. He sees her walking away with another man at one point and humbly accepts his fate. He may be the great stone face but he uses his body like few others so his emotional expression is not really limited at all. And of course his eyes express a lot. It's about mastery - he chooses to restrain his facial expressions and gestures but he has great control over what he *does* do, which is what matters.With modern comedies you hope for decent writing and acting and maybe a few big laughs. In a really good comedy, you might even get one or two pretty original moments. With Buster, you get a movie full of original ideas performed by a hard-working perfectionist. Buster's like a gymnast, a veritable comedy ninja.

. . . a decade before MGM got all uppity from GONE WITH THE WIND (which I always suspected was mostly filmed by junior members of the primate family, who probably also wrote the script for GWTW's mendacious opening scroll). As the title character of THE CAMERAMAN, Buster Keaton was hired to represent the average Tinsel Town filmmaker. He's a constant bumbler in this role, breaking MGM's stenciled glass door panel six times with his camera tripod. On one of his rare excursions outside, Keaton blindsides and knocks unconscious an organ grinder's Capuchin monkey. As soon as the abandoned midget primate regains consciousness, he commandeers Keaton's camera and shoots the "best footage" MGM's boss has "seen in years," despite being woozy and saddled with the most antique camera the city has to offer. Naturally, Specism prompts the MGM mogul to assume Keaton deserves all the credit, and the REAL cameraman finishes his big day out as an unsung (and unemployed) hero. Obviously, it turns out that THE COVE and BLACKFISH were not the first flicks to document mammal abuse!

I give this film high marks from start to finish--however, the modern score is absolutely irritating and awful! It sounds cheap and tuneless. Where's Carl Davis when you need him? As for Keaton, it's a wonderful film for the usual Keatonian reasons, enhanced by the various Manhattan locales. I only wish a more definitive edition could be created with a more authentic, less toy-like sound.Anyway, I saw this on TCM and was delighted and appalled for reasons given above; I recommend that anyone with a creative flair substitute their own vintage music and it'll play far better than the travesty that accompanies this otherwise terrific movie.