简介：IfitdistressesyoutoseeanaginggeniuslikeBusterKeatoninbeercommercialsandbeachpartymovies,TheAwakening,anepisodeofDouglasFairbanksJr.'sRheingoldTheatreseries,isagoodantidote.Inoneofthefewpurelydramaticrolesofhiscareer,Keatonstarsinadarkpoliticalallegorythat,whilevergingonheavy-handedness,ishandsomelyproduced,excellentlyacted,andgenuinelymoving.BasedonGogol'sshortstory"TheOvercoat"(translatedhereas"TheCloak")TheAwakeningissetinadystopiastronglyreminiscentofOrwell's1984,adrearythreadbareworlddominatedbyasmilingChiefpicturedinubiquitousposterstrumpeting"Hecares."BusterplaysaclerkintheOfficeofRecords,whichassignscomplexnumberstoallhumanproblems.Hisnamelesscharacter'sdecisiontopurchaseasplendidnewovercoat,whichisthenstolen,leadshimtorebelagainstasystemthathasnogenuinecompassion. BusterKeatonwasFairbanks'sfirstandonlychoicetoplaythelead,andhisperformancefullymeritsFairbanks'spraiseofhimasa"beautifulactor."Whilethedramaisbasicallyalltalkandnoaction,Keatonhassomeextremelyeloquentwordlessmoments.Watchthewayheregistershishurtfeelingswhenaprettyyoungwomanlaughsathistatteredovercoat.Hisdevelopmentfromameekandunquestioningdronetoapassionaterebelissubtlyconveyedandasconvincingashistransformation,inhisgreatsilentmovies,fromtimidincompetenttodashinghero.Theentirecastisflawless;CarlJaffeisparticularlygoodastheintenseandslightlysinistertailorwhotalksKeaton'scharacterintobuyingthenewcoat.ThoughKeaton'sAmericanaccentstandsoutamongtheEnglishandEuropeanactors,theeffectisn'tjarring;itworkswithhischaracter'slowlystatusandwithhislonelyrebellion.Hishoarseyetsurprisinglyforcefulvoiceperfectlysuitsahumbleeverymanwhoisrousedtodefiance. Attheendofthedrama,KeatondeliversaharanguenotunlikeChaplin'sinTheGreatDictator,againsttheheartlessnessofaworldthatreducespeopletonumbers.Keatondeliversthespeechwithangeranddesperationthatsaveitfrompomposityorsentimentality.Anotheractorplayinghisrolemighteasilyhavebecomemawkish,butasinhisownmovies,Busterneverappealsforpity.Hisweatheredface,impassiveatfirstglancebutsubtlyconveyingdepthsoffeeling,isidealforthepartanddeeplytouching. TheAwakeningisincludedinKino's"KeatonPlus"DVD,inapristineprintincludingDouglasFairbanksJr.'sintroductoryandconcludingremarks.ItrevealsKeaton'sversatility,andbeliesthenotionthathislateryearsweredevotedtohackwork.Infact,histelevisionworkisoftenfunnierthanhisfilmsofthethirtiesandforties,andhelooksalothappierinit.Busterwasalwaystotallycommittedtoeveryprojectheundertook,andthisoneisworthyofhisparticipation.…