AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Rosie Searle
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Curt
Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.
Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Neighbors" is a 18-minute short film from 95 years ago. The star here is silent film legend Buster Keaton and his co-stars are people he regularly worked with like Virginia Fox and Joe Roberts. These two are prime examples of people who did not make the transition to the sound era. Fox was only 17 when this was made and her career was over by when she was 20. Also on board is Keaton's father, who also plays his father in this movie. And finally we have Edward F. Cline who wrote and directed this film together with Stoneface and plays a police officer in here. It's a black-and-white film and a silent movie of course still. It has intertitles, however, for example the funny one about marriage. It's a bit of a comedic approach to the famous Romeo & Juliet idea, but unfortunately none of the comedy was really funny I must say. Certainly not among Buster's best works. Watch something else from him instead.
st-shot
Silent genius Buster Keaton takes his usual lumps from his dad among others in Neighbors, a Romeo and Juliet scenario set in the visually tight confines of next door neighbors back "yards".Once again Keaton throws care to the wind as he performs a series of what had to be injury inducing stunts. Keaton's feats are remarkable but there is little time for subtlety as well as a small stage to perform that stunts growth. But with Keaton then and as he proved 45 years later on Candid Camera all the space he needed was a lunch counter. Not even Burt Lancaster was as acrobatic as Buster in his prime and no one was as daring.In addition to Keaton's acrobatics a supporting cast (featuring a sweet performance by Virgina Fox) all comically contribute in moments of blown out of proportion misunderstandings.
Michael_Elliott
Neighbors (1920) *** (out of 4) Buster Keaton does the Romeo and Juliet storyline as he falls in love with his neighbor but it'll be hard to get married since the families hate one another. There are plenty of good gags here including the human fly swatter gag and the stuff dealing with Keaton trying to avoid the police. Keaton also delivers one of his best stunts and three people on one another's shoulders try and walk from house to house with Keaton being three stories up.Available on Kino's The Art of Buster Keaton Collection, which is one of the greatest box sets out there.
MartinHafer
Buster is in love with his next door neighbor, but her father hates Buster and won't allow them to see each other. As a result, again and again, Buster does a lot of crazy stunts in order to see her--as well as eventually kidnap her so they can elope. The stunts are amazing and this is a very good movie. However, if it weren't for all his better brilliant films, I might have scored this a bit higher. But films such as STEAMBOAT BILL, JR., COPS, OUR HOSPITALITY and THE PLAY HOUSE (among others) are simply better than NEIGHBORS. So, I would recommend you try watching these other films and then come back to it. Still, it's enjoyable and fun.
