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Steamboat Bill, Jr (U)

Silent Film & Live Music

,Cinema 1
A black and white image of a man dressed in a cap and holding a hollowed out loaf of bread.

Brilliant gags and heart-stopping stunts, in one of Buster Keaton’s finest comedies, screened with live piano from John Sweeney.

‘Steamboat Bill’ Canfield captains a dilapidated steamer from a small Mississippi town. When news comes that his estranged son (Buster Keaton) is returning home, he hopes for a strapping lad to help him with business. 

But Junior turns out to be a college-educated city-slicker with no sea legs. And worse, his sweetheart is the daughter of Canfield’s deadly rival – the successful, luxury riverboat owner JJ King. Junior tries and fails to win his father’s approval, until a cyclone hits and the weedy urbanite gets a chance to prove himself.

Featuring some of Keaton’s finest stunts on camera and perhaps one of the most iconic scenes in all silent cinema – famously revisited by Steve McQueen – in which a house’s facade falls on the oblivious performer. 

With live piano accompaniment by John Sweeney. 

Presented in association with MimeLondon.

Tagged with: Cinema Silent Film & Live Music

USA 1928 Dir Charles Reisner 70 min 

Digital presentation 

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.