AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

mmallon4 The 'High Sign' has to be my favourite Buster Keaton short and it just so happens to be the first independent film Keaton produced, giving birth to his iconic unnamed character. However Keaton himself was disappointed with the film and didn't release it until the following year instead making "One Week" his first solo short. I question why though as I feel the premise of The 'High Sign' is one of Keaton's most inspired and possibly even worthy of being used as a set up for a feature. It's true what they say, the artist is often wrong about their own work.The opening prologue of The High Sign states "Our hero came from Nowhere- he wasn't going Anywhere and got kicked off Somewhere"; and considering his superhuman stunts he's like an alien who just landed on Earth. This opening prologue reminds me of a statement Roger Ebert made in his review of The General; "(Keaton) seems like a modern visitor to the world of silent clowns" The 'High Sign' packs in so much humor and gags into its 20 minutes such as his set up with the dog, meat and string (it's hard to explain); it's like something Mr Bean would come up with. The short also features the earliest example I've seen in film of a recurring gag with the high sign itself, a secret signal between gangsters. Keaton even messes with the audience's expectation for comic effect by having himself walk past a banana peel on the ground only to not slip on it. Likewise the short's finale is a real "How did they do that?" sequence. The house with its traps and secret hatches is an astounding piece of set design and when all the rooms appear on screen at once which Keaton jumping between them, it reminds me of a 2D video game. I was laughing, in awe and even shocked (when the gangster's neck is closed on the door) all at once. There is even a customer at one point who has quite a resemblance to Charlie Chaplin.I'll say it now and I'll say it again; the genius of Buster Keaton will never cease to amaze me.

MartinHafer Up until the thrilling conclusion, this seemed like a lesser Keaton film. Apparently Keaton himself wasn't thrilled with the results either, as he shelved this for a year before it was released--and only because Keaton had an injury and the public was clamoring for more films from this master comedian. However, given the amazing final portion of the film, I think Keaton was premature in holding the film from circulation as the overall product is excellent.The film begins with Buster looking for a job. Following an ad in a very strange newspaper, he applies for a job at a shooting gallery at the beach. The problem, however, is that they want an expert shot and Buster is a klutz. So, using some ingenuity, he is able to fake his way into a job. What he doesn't realize, however, is that the man who owns the business is actually the leader of a group of extortionists and assassins. The title of the film refers to the secret sign the members use to recognize each other. Well, because Buster did such a good job of convincing the guy he was a great shot, he is invited to join this secret society and he is given the job of killing a man--the same man who Buster already agreed to protect as a body guard! Once the gang discovers Buster is NOT going to kill the man, the film shoots into high gear--with amazing stunts in a house built specially for the film and using amazing camera work to show what is happening in all four rooms at the same time.Keaton's acrobatics are at their finest here and the film is a classic. Watch it!

Ron Oliver A BUSTER KEATON Silent Short.Giving THE "HIGH SIGN" reveals members of the Blinking Buzzards, a nasty gang of ruffians who expect Buster to kill a wealthy old man - the same gentleman who's just hired Buster to be his bodyguard.Lots of physical comedy in this little film, as Keaton first fools around a shooting arcade and then gets to outwit the Buzzards in the old man's mansion. The ingenious cutaway set, showing at once four rooms on two floors, was sized specifically to Buster's proportions and it's fun watching him rapidly use the trap doors & secret panels while being chased by the villains.Born into a family of Vaudevillian acrobats, Buster Keaton (1895-1966) mastered physical comedy at a very early age. An association with Fatty Arbuckle led to a series of highly imaginative short subjects and classic, silent feature-length films - all from 1920 to 1928. Writer, director, star & stuntman - Buster could do it all and his intuitive genius gave him almost miraculous knowledge as to the intricacies of film making and of what it took to please an audience. More akin to Fairbanks than Chaplin, Buster's films were full of splendid adventure, exciting derring-do and the most dangerous physical stunts imaginable. His theme of a little man against the world, who triumphs through bravery & ingenuity, dominates his films. Through every calamity & disaster, Buster remained the Great Stone Face, a stoic survivor in a universe gone mad.In the late 1920's Buster was betrayed by his manager/brother-in-law and his contract was sold to MGM, which proceeded to nearly destroy his career. Teamed initially with Jimmy Durante and eventually allowed small roles in mediocre comedies, Buster was for 35 years consistently given work far beneath his talent. Finally, before lung cancer took him at age 70, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his classic films were being rediscovered. Now, well past his centenary, Buster Keaton is routinely recognized & appreciated as one of cinema's true authentic geniuses. And he knew how to make people laugh...

captnemo This little gem of a movie is chock full of inventive gags that will keep you laughing. There are the usual physical ones, such as the house and its many entrances/exits. What had me intrigued were some of the sight gags as well. The dog and the bell was amazing to watch. Each and every corner in Keaton's world has something wondrous around it. The man was an amazing athlete, and it shows here. Watch for the weird guns throughout the film. They don't make sense but then again they don't have to.