Join us for a special 100th Anniversary screening of two Buster Keaton classic feature films, as part of Southampton Film Week 2024. Sherlock Jr. and The Navigator are brought to life by a live music accompaniment from pianist Meg Morley.
Sherlock Jr.
Buster Keaton’s third feature is a breathtaking display of every silent comedy technique imaginable, from his own formidable physical skills to some then-ground-breaking camera trickery. The detective fantasy largely takes place inside the head of a hapless and wronged cinema projectionist (Keaton). He dreams himself into the screen only to be flummoxed by the film’s editing.
The Navigator
Wealthy Rollo Treadway (Keaton) decides to propose to his neighbour across the street, Betsy O’Brien (Kathryn McGuire). He sends his servant to book passage for a honeymoon sea cruise to Honolulu. When Betsy rejects his sudden offer, he decides to go on the trip anyway, boarding that very night. Because the pier number is partially covered, he ends up on the wrong ship, the Navigator, which Betsy’s rich father has just sold to a small country at war.
Tonight’s live piano score is performed by BFI Southbank’s resident pianist Meg Morley. Since playing for her first silent film in 2016, Meg has become one of the UK’s pre-eminent silent film accompanists. She has performed at various international film festivals and plays regularly at the London Cinema Museum. Meg last performed at Turner Sims last year, when she accompanied The Mark of Zorro (1921).
Presented by Turner Sims Southampton in association with Southampton Film Week
