Steamboat Bill, Jr.

Waterway hi jinks abound in this Buster Keaton classic, in which he plays the reluctant heir to his father's paddle steamer business.

Best known for the astonishing apocalyptic cyclone finale, this tale of an effete college boy caught up in a conflict between his riverboat captain dad and a powerful rival is also memorable for its lovingly detailed, beautifully shot evocation of life in a small town on the Mississippi. The stunt-work is quite breathtaking, but the most deliciously modern gag of all simply features a series of hats.

The film features Keaton's most infamous stunt shot, in which an open doorway saves him from being crushed by a falling house facade. And it's also remembered for providing the inspiration for Steamboat Willie (1928), the Walt Disney short that first brought Mickey Mouse to audiences.