Three Ages (1923)

Three Ages poster

Buster Keaton Productions
Starring: Buster Keaton, Wallace Beery
Directed by: Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: The classic story of a boy (Buster Keaton), a girl (Margaret Leahy) and a villain (Wallace Beery) as told in three different time periods: Prehistoric Times, Ancient Roman Times and the Modern Day.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): In the Roman segment, Buster is challenged to a chariot race against the villain. But there is a heavy snowfall so Buster improvises and adds sleigh runners to his chariot and hooks it up to a team of dogs. All goes well until the villain’s accomplice is seen standing off to the side of the arena holding a black cat.

Three Ages - Roman thug holding black cat

Three Ages - Roman thug ready to throw black cat

The thug throws the black cat out and the dogs chase after it, throwing Buster from the chariot.

Three Ages - Roman thug throws black cat into arena

Three Ages - Roman thug throws black cat into arena and distracts Buster's sled dog team animated gif

Buster finds his dogs and the chariot by the cat, which has scrambled up a statue.

Three Ages - Buster Keaton looking at black cat on statue

Retrieving the cat, Buster hits upon an idea and borrows a length of fabric and a spear from a guard.

Three Ages - Buster Keaton taking down black cat from statue

Three Ages - Buster Keaton holding black cat

Three Ages - Buster Keaton holding black cat and fabric

Slight Kitty Carnage Warning! Buster ties the cat to the spear and dangles it in front of the dogs to make them run. Needless to say he wins the race.

Three Ages - Buster Keaton dangles black cat from spear in front of dog team