Rudern Film: Buster Keaton – Der Student

Greg Denieffe writes:

In 2010, the film College (1927) was featured in a HTBS post called ‘Ready all!’ It was released in Germany as Der Musterschüler / Buster Keaton – Der Student and was promoted with a poster depicting an animated Buster Keaton playing Ronald, a hapless athlete, in his coxing singlet and holding an oar. Behind him is the silhouette of a racing eight.

On The Rabbit’s guide to Rowing Films you will find a plot summary and information on the film’s location. The final minutes show Keaton’s true athletic prowess as he goes to the rescue of his girlfriend, performing all the athletic feats he has tried and failed at throughout the film. However, he did have a limit to his physical ability. For a scene where Ronald pole-vaults through a window, Keaton had to use a stunt double for the first time in his career.

You can watch the whole film on YouTube or skip to 43.40 and follow the action from his ‘selection’ as coxswain by the Dean of Clayton College.

Keaton died on 1 February 1966, aged 70. Today, HTBS would just like to say, thanks for being such a good ‘coaxer’!

Spoils of victory! – A poster for College showing the victorious Clayton crew on the pontoon.