Go West (1925)

My Review

“Go West” is a silent film comedy-drama about an out-of-work young man from New York City who travels west to find his fortune. He is hired at a cattle ranch, becomes fond of a cow named Brown Eyes, and is distraught when the owner sells the cattle to a Los Angeles buyer. The comedy and drama proceed from there, expertly directed by Buster Keaton, the star of the show and co-writer of the screenplay with Lex Neal. Keaton uses comedy routines typical of silent pictures, such as a “Keystone Cops” segment. In addition, the scenery and cinematography by Bert Haines and Elgin Lessley is superior to other silent pictures.

Buster Keaton was at the height of his silent movie career in the Roaring Twenties when this film was released. He demonstrated a wide acting range for a silent film star, one reason for his popularity. His co-stars include Kathleen Myers, Howard Truesdale, Ray Thompson, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Gus Leonard, Babe London, and Joe Keaton (Buster’s father) in a cameo as a barber. The watchable “Go West” was successful at the box office for producers Buster Keaton and Joseph M. Schenck and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was filmed in Arizona, with some scenes in and around Los Angeles.