Watch Seven Chances

Seven Chances is a classic silent comedy film from 1925, starring Buster Keaton as the hapless protagonist, James Shannon. The movie follows James’ misadventures as he tries to get married in order to inherit a fortune from his grandfather, including several doomed attempts to find a bride within the space of a single day.

The story begins with James learning that his grandfather has died and left him a huge fortune, on the condition that he is married before 7:00 PM on his 27th birthday. Desperate to meet the deadline, James proposes to his longtime girlfriend, Mary Jones (played by Ruth Dwyer). However, she refuses him, angry at his lack of commitment to their relationship.

Undaunted, James hatches a plan to find another woman to marry, and quickly sets about trying to find a suitable candidate. His first attempts involve contacting old girlfriends and going to a matrimonial agency, but both prove disastrous. With time running out, James and his friend Billy Meekin (played by T. Roy Barnes) take to the streets in pursuit of any woman who will say yes to his proposal.

What follows is a riotous series of scenes in which James and Billy are chased, pelted with rocks, and assaulted by enraged women as they desperately try to find someone, anyone, willing to marry James. The pair end up in a variety of comic situations, including falling down a hill, being chased by a herd of stampeding animals, and narrowly avoiding being crushed by falling boulders.

Despite these setbacks, James eventually comes up with a foolproof plan to get married, involving a newspaper advertisement that promises a $25,000 reward to any woman who will agree to marry him. The ad attracts a massive crowd of women, who chase after James in a frenzied attempt to catch him and claim the reward.

The climax of the movie features one of the most famous scenes in all of comedy, in which James is pursued by the horde of women through the streets of the city. The scene is a masterful example of physical comedy, as Keaton dodges and weaves his way through the crowd, barely managing to stay ahead of the pursuers.

Eventually, James manages to escape the mob and make his way to the church where his wedding ceremony is to take place. However, just as he is about to tie the knot with a woman he has never seen before, Mary appears and interrupts the ceremony. She reveals that she has had a change of heart and still wants to marry James, and the two are finally united in a happy ending.

Seven Chances is an entertaining and enduring comedy classic, thanks largely to Buster Keaton’s incredible physical skills and deadpan expression. The film is an excellent example of his work, showcasing both his ability to create inventive physical gags and his talent for subtle acting. The movie’s plot is relatively simple, but it’s the execution that makes it such a memorable and enjoyable experience for viewers of all ages.

Seven Chances is a 1925 comedy with a runtime of 56 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8.