SILENT FILM with Live organ accompaniment – who would have known this could be so enjoyable seeing a movie without dialogue. Sorry if I may sounda bit naive but…New experience for me… what a great program. Hand it to Ohlone College in Fremont, CA , no doubt assisted by the Niles film program
‘ 7 Chances’ starring Buster Keaton was the last of their yearly performing arts series. I missed the opening organ performance by Jerry Nagano and lecture by Keaton historian keynote speaker David Keihu but found Ohlone, after a long drive, just in time for the second have move, sans payment ( no longer were they collecting money at the time)
7 Chances is a cute little movie, most of which takes place in one day, showcasing Keaton’s awkward ways and difficulties in coping, but ends happily..
Movie begins with the shy, awkward Keaton trying to propose to his girlfriend in front of her mother’s home, where she lives. It’s spring and Keaton is pictured with her and her little puppy in front garden and white picket fence, perhaps too shy to even enter the house or front gate. Apparently, Keaton can’t get out the words ‘ I love you,’ and nothing comes of the proposal.
Cut to Fall, 3 months later, where we see Keaton and girlfriend once again in similar pose, in front of white fence, only her dog has grown significantly. Same setting , same outcome. No go.
Cut to Winter, now there’s snow on the ground with the dog almost full grown now. Still, Keaton is having difficulty getting his message out. Perhaps it’s time to give up.
Then one day , years later, Keaton’s father passes and he receives a beneficiary note telling him he will receive 7 million dollars if he marries by age 27 – only after Keaton spends much time with his friend, trying to avoid what they thought was a summons server. When the server finally avoids the law and pastes the ltetter on the window in front of them where they are dining, Keaton is thrilled – and barely catches up with the server who has just been captured by the police. Keaton and friend tell the cops to let him go so they can deal with the letter.
Problem is Keaton’s 27th birthday is this same day ! He has literally hours, until midnite to get married. We see Keaton and friend struggle mightily to come up with a name of a woman to marry. There’s really only the long-time girlfriend, so Keaton hires a horseman to deliver the message to the girlfriend. She successfully gets the note and meets Keaton late that night. Keaton bumbles his latest proposal, telling her that he must marry ‘someone’ this day so he can inherit a lot of money. Obviously the girlfriend gets offended by the ‘someone’ comment and starts to leave/
But, finally, only minutes before the midnite deadline, things come together and the two hastily hire a judge and marry! Lucky Seven – seven chances with the same woman and finally -success! All this with majestic live organ accompaniment by Jerry Nagaon in the campus cozy Jackson Theater.
PHILLY EXPRESS – Stopped by my advertiser in Alameda prior to the movie and had a great Philly Dog dinner ! Great dogs and cheesteaks made on genuine Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia! Click above coupon to enclarge and print!
FOBIDDEN ISLAND TIKI BAR, Alameda, CA – While in Alameda had to stop by what many consider the No. 1 tiki bar in the world. Had a ‘sidewinder itch’ replete with backscratcher ($11) before moving on to great Keaton film, as above, making it three nites in a row of Top Tiki Bars.. only San Joses Bamboo Hut must be visited an, perhaps a revisit to the great, not-to-be-forgotten Tonga Room, SF and Trader Vic’s, Emeryville, CA.
