It is Steve Neale and Frank Krutnik’s argument that the development of the multiple-reel “feature” film led comic filmmakers to experiment with various combinations of slapstick and genteel components . To what extent can this process be seen in Seven Chances ? How are the norms of slapstick comedy adapted to the narrative demands of the feature-length format? Be sure to engage ideas from Neale and Krutnik’s “The Case of Silent Slapstick” essay in your argument.
Note: This is not a research paper, but a film analysis assignment. Nonetheless, insofar as you will likely need some context in order to situate these movies within screen comedy’s broader development, you may usefully consult the following:
Walter Kerr, The Silent Clowns
Rob King, The Fun Factory: The Keystone Film Company and the Emergence of Mass Culture
Robert Knopf, The Theatre and Cinema of Buster Keaton
Daniel Moews, Keaton: The Silent Features Close Up
