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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1257

Free and Easy

193092 minUnited States

Video edition: Wikimedia Commons
Original language: English
This copy runs: 92:39
Subtitles: No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Edward Sedgwick · Public domain

Synopsis

Elmer accompanies a small-town contest winner to Hollywood as her manager, secretly hoping for her affection. A film star becomes his romantic rival while Elmer disrupts productions across the studio. The screen test that should expose his incompetence instead opens a career he had scarcely intended to pursue.

Cast

Buster Keaton

Anita Page

Robert Montgomery

DirectorsEdward Sedgwick

Behind the scenes

Buster Keaton's first leading role in a talking film surrounds him with MGM productions and visiting stars. Comic opera and spoken misunderstandings give the studio comedy a different rhythm from his earlier silent features.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film reference Wikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 15, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Buster Keaton — Unknown author · Public domain
Anita Page — Studio publicity. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , 1929. · Public domain
Robert Montgomery — NBC Television; eBay front back · Public domain

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