Thankfully, this Buster Keaton talkie is closer to Parlor, Bedroom and Bath than Free and Easy. The unnecessary or objectionable stuff is kept to a minimum and, while it doesn’t reach the best moments of Parlor, Bedroom and Bath, it’s not nearly as uneven. On the whole, it’s a pleasant enough little comedy, unremarkable but a decent way to spend a bit of time. I can still see, though, why Buster remained unhappy at MGM. They’re not all as atrocious as Free and Easy, but they don’t have to be; after the impeccable, astounding films he was making on his own, even a pleasant enough little comedy must have felt like such a comedown.
In Speak Easily, Buster is the stilted, pedantic Professor Post, a studious little man who’s led a lonely, even-keeled life. When he receives notice of a sizeable inheritance, he lets his hair down for the first time ever. He sets off on a cross-country trip, where he immediately falls in love with an actress on the train. She’s in the company of a traveling revue and, since the professor is well-orderedly throwing caution to the wind, he decides to fund a move to Broadway with his newfound wealth. Hijinks, mishaps, and miscommunications ensue, naturally, and everything culminates in an onstage climax that’s partially cribbed from Spite Marriagebut, in my opinion, a lot more fun.
The Good – I really enjoy Buster’s character here. Mercifully, Professor Post isn’t the dimwit too many of his MGM characters are; though he’s socially awkward and not well-versed in the ways of the world, his encyclopedic knowledge gets plenty of screentime. It’s a type of performance I haven’t seen from Buster before, and he does a nice job playing the punctilious professor. He carries himself differently, and I like the stiff, overly-precise diction. Beyond that, the romance is sweet, and the film doesn’t seem like it’s looking down its nose at Buster (how sad is it that is something worth noting?) Oh, and the comic finale on Broadway offers plenty of laughs. Putting the bookish professor in a ragtag theatrical setting is inherently humorous, Buster is great throughout the sequence, and the comedy really feels earned.
The Bad – The biggest strike here is just that the film isn’t much to write home about. It’s not bad and, as I said, it’s not as inconsistent as Parlor, Bedroom and Bath, but it’s a little on the bland side. Aside from the big performance at the end, there aren’t many standout moments. Also, although I understand that Speak Easily is easily considered the best of the three movies Buster made with Jimmy Durante (he plays a gregarious actor in the company,) I’m still not a fan of Durante’s role. It often feels like we’re moving along with our nice enough little story, throwing in some physical comedy for flavor, and then suddenly Jimmy Durante is yelling in my ear, possibly under the belief that he’s in a different movie. It’s just a little too big, too insistent, and it doesn’t mesh well with Buster’s more fluid style.
The Ugly – Not a whole lot, phew. The only real bit of ugliness comes in a scene where the professor gets unintentionally sloshed. I’ve seen Buster play drunk before, of course, but never slurring, falling-down, stinking drunk, and knowing how much trouble Buster had with his real-life drinking around this time, it’s uncomfortable to watch and makes me feel sad rather than amused.
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