Spite Marriage | 1929 | Comedy

Title: Spite Marriage | 1929 | Comedy Director: Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Starring: Buster Keaton, Dorothy Sebastian, Edward Earle, Leila Hyams, William Bechtel, John Byron Release Date: March 25 1929 Runtime: 76 minutes Format: Silent black and white with synchronized score and sound effects Country: United States Language: English intertitles Genres: Comedy --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Opening and introduction of Elmer 00:15:00 Elmer’s admiration for Trilby 00:30:00 The spite marriage 00:45:00 Taxi and sea misadventures 01:00:00 Shipboard conflict 01:15:00 Rescue and resolution --- Summary: Spite Marriage follows Elmer, a humble dry cleaning worker hopelessly in love with stage actress Trilby Drew. After witnessing her many performances and borrowing fine clothes to impress her, Elmer finds himself married to Trilby when she impulsively proposes to make an ex-lover jealous. Unaware that the marriage is motivated by spite, Elmer experiences a series of misadventures, including encounters with crooks and a perilous sea voyage. Ultimately, through courage and resilience, Elmer proves his worth, leading Trilby to recognize his genuine devotion. The film blends physical comedy with romantic mishaps in a classic silent-era narrative. --- Background: Spite Marriage is an American silent comedy co-directed by Edward Sedgwick and Buster Keaton, marking Keaton’s final silent feature and his second film for MGM. Produced during the transition from silent to sound cinema, it features a synchronized musical score and sound effects. The story combines slapstick routines with theatrical and nautical set pieces, reflecting Keaton’s trademark physical humor within a studio framework. --- Trivia: Spite Marriage is widely regarded as Buster Keaton’s last silent feature film produced under his creative involvement. Although silent, the film includes synchronized music, laughter, and sound effects typical of late 1920s productions. Many of the gags and routines were later reused by Keaton in his later work as a writer. Scenes aboard the ship provide some of the most extended physical comedy sequences in the film. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: March 25 1929 Original Studio / Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Copyright Status: Registered Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: #SpiteMarriage #BusterKeaton #SilentFilm #Comedy #1929Film #ClassicCinema #MGM #PhysicalComedy