1931 Parlor Bedroom and Bath (B. Keaton)

"Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film. It's most notable for starring Buster Keaton, one of the greatest silent film comedians, in a sound-era role. The film is a remake of a 1920 silent film of the same name and is based on a popular 1917 Broadway farce.

Here's a description of the movie:

Title: Parlor, Bedroom and Bath

Release Year: 1931

Genre: Comedy, Farce, Screwball Comedy (early elements), Pre-Code

Director: Edward Sedgwick

Screenplay by: Robert E. Hopkins, Arthur Freed (based on the play by Charles W. Bell and Mark Swan)

Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Starring: Buster Keaton, Charlotte Greenwood, Reginald Denny

Plot:
The film is a classic bedroom farce, filled with mistaken identities, chaotic misunderstandings, and door-slamming comedy. The central character is Reginald "Reggie" Irving (played by Buster Keaton), a shy, timid, and awkward bachelor. He's hopelessly in love with Virginia Embrey (Dorothy Christy), but he's too bashful to confess his feelings or propose marriage.

Virginia's older sister, Angelica (Charlotte Greenwood), a strong-willed and rather domineering woman, decides to "help" Reggie overcome his shyness. Her unconventional plan involves setting Reggie up with a reputation as a notorious ladies' man and heartbreaker. The idea is that if other women find him irresistible, Virginia will also be impressed and attracted to him.

Angelica orchestrates a series of elaborate schemes, inviting various "flames" (often women of questionable reputation or who are simply part of the misunderstanding) to her home, all with the intention of making Reggie appear to be a irresistible Don Juan. This leads to a cascade of comedic complications:

Mistaken Identities: People are constantly confused about who is who and who is romantically involved with whom.

Hidden Lovers: Characters hide in closets, under beds, and behind furniture to avoid being discovered.

Slamming Doors: A hallmark of farce, with characters narrowly missing each other as they enter and exit rooms.

Exaggerated Reactions: Reggie, being naturally timid, is overwhelmed by the chaos, leading to classic Buster Keaton-esque bewildered reactions.

The film's humor comes from the escalating absurdity of the situations, the rapid-fire dialogue (a challenge for Keaton, who was a master of visual comedy), and the delightful awkwardness of Reggie as he tries to navigate the ridiculous charade.

Significance:
"Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" is significant primarily as one of Buster Keaton's early sound films for MGM. While Keaton's unique brand of deadpan physical comedy from the silent era didn't always translate perfectly to the sound format (and MGM's studio system often constrained his creative control), this film allowed him to showcase his talent for playing the sympathetic, put-upon everyman caught in hilarious circumstances. It's a prime example of the kind of theatrical farce that was popular in early sound cinema, where dialogue and intricate plot misunderstandings took center stage. For Keaton fans, it's an interesting watch to see him working within a different comedic style than his iconic silent era work.