The Passionate Plumber

Out of all of Keaton's MGM sound films, The Passionate Plumber (1932) is the only one I actually laughed at. It's no riot, but it's The General (1926) compared to all that other garbage MGM forced upon Keaton in the 30s.

The story is very pre-code: Keaton plays an American plumber living in France. A socialite (Irene Purcell) discovers her lover (Gilbert Roland) is carrying on with another woman (Mona Maris), so she hires Keaton to make Roland jealous. Most of the movie concerns Keaton trying to keep her away from Roland, whom she simultaneously hates and lusts after.

Thank God above, Buster does not play an idiot! He's still socially awkward and a little lost, but his character is allowed to be clever, resourceful, and sarcastic. The physical comedy is actually inspired too, rather than tacked on (see the painfully bad slapstick during the check-in scene of Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath (1931)).

Much of the supporting cast is completely over the top and annoying. Irene Purcell and Mona Maris screech and howl. Jimmy Durante works best in small doses, which is luckily how he is here. Gilbert Roland works best when he isn't hamming it up to Mars, which unluckily, he does in a number of scenes.

Fortunately, the supporting cast, while not always pleasant, is not terrible enough to kill the movie. If you've lost all hope after Free and Easy (1930) and What! No Beer (1933), then give this one a try.