Buster Keaton
The Groom
Subtitles off by default
Wikimedia Commons · Buster Keaton / Edward F. Cline · 1920 · Public domain
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Synopsis
A newly married couple receives a house packed in numbered crates and sets out to assemble their new home. A jealous rival alters the numbers, leaving their confidence intact while the building grows increasingly improbable. Across seven eventful days, domestic optimism meets a storm, visitors and a problem with the very ground beneath the house.
Cast
Historical context
One Week was the first of Keaton's independent shorts to reach audiences, although The High Sign had been filmed earlier. The house converts the promise of effortless modern living into a physical puzzle, giving the couple a shared project that repeatedly threatens to overwhelm them.
Behind the scenes
The storm sequence used a full-size house mounted on a turntable. Large practical mechanisms allow the actors to interact directly with the collapsing domestic world. This Commons copy runs about 24 minutes; the frequently listed 19-minute duration reflects a different presentation speed or edition.
Reception and legacy
The Library of Congress selected One Week for the National Film Registry in 2008. Its compact construction and use of architecture helped establish the visual approach associated with Keaton's later work.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
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 11, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Buster Keaton — Unknown author · Public domain
- Sybil Seely — Metro Pictures, Convict 13 lobby card (1920); Heritage Auctions / Wikimedia Commons. Detail showing Sybil Seely. · Public domain in the United States (PD-US-expired)
- Joe Roberts — Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research · Public domain
