The Saphead

Plot

Nick Van Alstyne is a wealthy silver mine owner whose naive and spoiled son Bertie is constantly embarrassing the family with his foolish behavior. When Bertie falls in love with Agnes and plans to marry, his sister Rose's scheming husband Mark interferes by making Bertie take the blame for Mark's illegitimate daughter, thus sabotaging the wedding. Meanwhile, Mark nearly ruins the family business by selling off valuable Henrietta mine stock at an artificially low price. Through a series of comedic mishaps and misunderstandings, Bertie unexpectedly saves the family fortune when he accidentally buys back the undervalued stock, proving that even a 'saphead' can sometimes triumph through sheer luck and persistence.

Historical Background

The Saphead was produced during a transformative period in American cinema history. 1920 marked the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a decade of unprecedented economic prosperity and cultural change. The film industry was consolidating, with studios like Metro Pictures (which would later become MGM) establishing dominance. Feature films were becoming increasingly popular, supplanting short films as the primary attraction in theaters. This transition created opportunities for comedy stars like Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd to expand from shorts to features. The film also reflected the post-World War I fascination with wealth, business, and stock market speculation, themes that would become even more prominent as the decade progressed toward the 1929 crash. The adaptation of a successful stage play also demonstrated the growing sophistication of film storytelling and the industry's increasing respectability as an art form.

Making Of

The production of 'The Saphead' marked a crucial turning point in Buster Keaton's career. After establishing himself as a major star in short comedies, Metro Pictures wanted to capitalize on his popularity by moving him into features. The studio chose to adapt the successful stage play 'The New Henrietta' rather than develop an original story, which meant Keaton had less creative control than he was used to. Director Herbert Blaché, husband of film pioneer Alice Guy, was assigned to the project. Keaton was initially hesitant about the role as it was more of a character study than the physical comedy he was known for, but he agreed after being promised more creative freedom on future projects. The filming process was relatively smooth, though Keaton and Blaché reportedly had creative differences about the balance between comedy and drama. The stock exchange sequence required special permission to film at the actual exchange, and the crew had to work around the real traders' schedules. The film's success would pave the way for Keaton to form his own production company and gain complete creative control over his subsequent films.

Visual Style

The cinematography of The Saphead was handled by Robert Newhard and Charles J. Stumar, who employed the relatively sophisticated visual style that was becoming standard for feature films by 1920. The film uses a mix of static shots and the emerging technique of camera movement to enhance the storytelling. The stock exchange sequence features some of the most dynamic camerawork, with multiple angles and compositions that convey the chaos and energy of the trading floor. Interior scenes, particularly those in the Van Alstyne mansion, use the deep focus and careful lighting typical of the period to create a sense of wealth and social status. The film makes effective use of location shooting at the actual Los Angeles Stock Exchange, which adds authenticity to key scenes. While not as visually inventive as Keaton's later films where he had more creative control, the cinematography effectively serves the narrative and provides clear visual storytelling appropriate for the comedy-drama hybrid genre. The visual style is more conventional than Keaton's later work, reflecting the studio's approach and the influence of the stage play's original staging.

Innovations

While not known for major technical innovations, The Saphead employed several notable techniques that were relatively advanced for 1920. The film makes effective use of location shooting, particularly the stock exchange scenes, which required coordination with real traders and demonstrated the growing sophistication of on-location filming. The editing during the stock market sequence shows more dynamic cutting than was typical in comedies of the era, using cross-cutting to build tension and comedy simultaneously. The film also demonstrates good use of continuity editing, maintaining clear spatial and temporal relationships despite the complex plot involving business dealings and family relationships. The special effects in the film, while minimal, include some effective use of split-screen techniques during the stock trading scenes to show multiple characters' reactions simultaneously. The film's sound stage sets, particularly the Van Alstyne mansion, show the increasing realism and attention to detail in set design that was becoming standard in feature production. While not groundbreaking technically, the film demonstrates the solid craftsmanship that Metro Pictures was known for, providing a professional foundation for Keaton's comic performance.

Music

As a silent film, The Saphead originally featured musical accompaniment provided by theater orchestras or organists. The score would have been compiled from various classical pieces and popular songs of the era, with specific musical cues matched to the on-screen action and emotional tone. For the romantic scenes, theaters likely used popular love songs or classical pieces like selections from operettas. The comedy sequences would have been accompanied by lighter, more playful music, possibly including ragtime or early jazz influences that were popular in 1920. The dramatic moments, particularly those involving the business dealings and family conflicts, would have been scored with more serious classical selections. While no original score survives, modern restorations and screenings typically use compiled scores that reflect the musical tastes of the period. Some contemporary screenings feature newly composed scores by silent film accompanists who create music that enhances the film's blend of comedy and drama while remaining authentic to the silent era aesthetic.

Memorable Scenes

• The chaotic stock exchange sequence where Bertie accidentally saves the family fortune through his confused trading
• The wedding scene where Bertie takes the blame for Mark's illegitimate daughter
• The opening sequence establishing Bertie's naive and spoiled character
• The confrontation between Bertie and Mark in the Van Alstyne mansion
• The final scene where Bertie proves his worth to his family

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception to The Saphead was generally positive, with reviewers praising Keaton's performance and the film's entertainment value. The Motion Picture News called it 'a delightful comedy that will please all classes of picture-goers' and specifically noted Keaton's 'charming and natural' performance. Variety praised the film's 'clean humor' and predicted it would be 'a big money-maker.' Modern critics have been more mixed in their assessments. While acknowledging the film's historical importance as Keaton's first feature, many consider it inferior to his later works where he had complete creative control. The film is often described as a transitional work that shows Keaton learning the ropes of feature filmmaking. Some modern critics appreciate the film's charm and its more character-driven approach compared to Keaton's more stunt-heavy later films. The New York Times retrospective review noted that while not Keaton's best, it 'contains moments of pure comic genius' and serves as an essential document of his artistic development.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1920 responded enthusiastically to The Saphead, making it a commercial success that exceeded Metro Pictures' expectations. The film played to packed houses in major cities and was particularly popular with middle-class audiences who could relate to its themes of family, business, and social status. Keaton's growing popularity from his short comedies translated well to the feature format, and audiences enjoyed seeing their favorite star in a longer story. The film's mix of physical comedy with a more traditional narrative structure appealed to both existing Keaton fans and new audiences who might have been hesitant about purely slapstick entertainment. Contemporary reports indicated that audiences especially enjoyed the stock exchange sequence and Bertie's various mishaps. The film's success helped establish Keaton as a bankable feature star and gave Metro Pictures confidence to invest in more ambitious projects with him. Modern audiences, when exposed to the film through revivals and home video, generally find it charming and historically significant, though many agree it doesn't reach the comic heights of Keaton's more famous features like 'The General' or 'Sherlock Jr.'

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