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Buster Keaton and hundreds of angry prospective brides in Seven Chances (1925)

On Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. the Cannon Grange in Wilton, CT will present two classic silent films with live piano accompaniment. Adults and children will enjoy a short film, “The Haunted House" (1921), starring Buster Keaton as well as one of his feature comedies, titled “Seven Chances" (1925). Noted silent film historian and pianist John Mucci of Wilton will accompany both films on the Grange’s 1920's- vintage piano.

If you like this kind of fun entertainment, send this link to tell a friend!

Admission is $8 per person, and there will be free refreshments served.

Free parking is available at the Grange Hall on 25 Cannon Road, and across the road at the Cannondale Railroad Station and Cannondale Village.

For more information, call Cannon Grange at 203-762-1900 or John Mucci at 203-722-6751.

This is the ninth year that Cannon Grange has hosted silent films featuring John Mucci, with increasing audiences discovering the special kind of entertainment they represent.

About the Films:

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Buster Keaton in The Haunted House (1921)

The Haunted House (1921)

One of Buster's early independent two-reel comedies, "The Haunted House" is a delightful romp that starts out with Buster as a bank clerk who is victim of a robbery; chasing after the crooks, he ends up in a spooky old house that just happens to also be invaded by a local opera troupe that was performing Faust (complete with Mephistopheles the devil!), but were chased from their dreadful performance by flying vegetables from the audience. Utter mayhem ensues, with a wild farce and a surprising ending.

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Seven Chances (1925)

Buster Keaton and in "Seven Chances" (1925)

Seven Chances is one of Keaton's funniest films, one that spins off into surrealism almost at once. Taken from the Broadway hit of the same name by Roi Cooper Magrue, the story concerns a young man who is told that in order to inherit his much needed legacy of $700,000, he needs to be married by 7:00 on his 27th birthday--which of course just happens to be the very day he finds out about it. While he has a lovely girlfriend (and has been very shy to pop the question to her), she refuses to marry him by 7:00; to make matters worse, Keaton cannot find anyone who will marry him at all. Finally, thanks to the quick-thinking lawyer friend Snitz Edwards, a newspaper announcement goes out pleading for a potential bride. Waiting at the church, Keaton is surprised to see one, then three, then five, then ten, then fifty, then five hundred ladies waiting to plight their troth with him. As he flees their company, the film drives to a rollicking finish, complete with massive crowd scenes and 700 choreographed rocks in an avalanche. Of course it is a happy ending, one that leaves the audience in utter stitches.

The print being shown is from the Jack Roth collection, which features the rare, restored color sequence at the beginning (see still, above), one of the many innovations that Keaton made use of in this film.

If you like this kind of fun entertainment, send this link to tell a friend!

See more at IMDB.

The Wilton Cannon Grange Hall, at 25 Cannon Road in Wilton, CT has ample parking available at the Cannondale Railroad Station and at Cannon Center. Click here for directions.

Silent films on DVD with accompaniment by John Mucci are available through ReelClassicDVDs.

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editorial material © 2012 John Mucci.