Movie Summary: [Silent, Comedy]

    The greatest box office success of all his independent comedies, "Battling Butler" (1926, 71 min.) is a rarely seen gem that mingles Buster Keaton's deadpan demeanor and awesome physical agility with a particularly dramatic storyline. Keaton stars as Alfred Butler, a fragile young man whose father sends him to the country where he hopes masculinity will blossom. Ironically, he is mistaken for "Battling" Butler, a renowned prizefighter. Alfred continues the ruse until the charade is complicated by the untimely arrival of the true contender (Francis McDonald). Also featured on this DVD are two of Keaton's rarely seen short films. A Yukon metropolis is the snowbound setting of "The Frozen North" (1921, 21 min.), wherein Buster parodies movie legends William S. Hart and Erich von Stroheim. "The Haunted House" (1922, 17 min.) has been meticulously restored to its original glory: an astounding series of sight gags and illusions. Digitally mastered from archival prints, with original musical scores.