Three Ages
Buster Keaton turns one determined courtship into three escalating silent-comedy adventures across the Stone Age, ancient Rome, and the modern world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- playful
- exuberant
- classic movie night
- silent film evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film's abundant laughs and Keaton's comic invention while finding its episodic narrative overloaded and uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Boy and The Girl's romance unfolds separately in the Stone Age, Roman Age, and Modern Age.
Keaton uses chariots, cave-age hazards, disguises, and kinetic set pieces as silent visual gags.
The Boy pursues The Girl despite opposition from her father and the recurring Villain figure.
The Stone Age, ancient Rome, and modern life are treated as successive comic variations on romance and social authority.
Films like Three Ages, and why
Sherlock Jr.
shared silent-era physical comedy, romantic pursuit, and inventive historical parody
The General
shared Buster Keaton deadpan performance, elaborate slapstick mechanics, and romance under comic pressure
The Gold Rush
shared silent-film visual comedy, romantic rivalry, and episodic historical spectacle
Movie Details
- Directors
- Buster Keaton, Edward F. Cline
- Release Date
- 1923-09-24
- Runtime
- 64 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (145)
Cast
- Buster Keaton
- Margaret Leahy
- Wallace Beery
- Joe Roberts
- Lillian Lawrence
- Kewpie Morgan
- Lionel Belmore
- George Davis
- Louise Emmons
- Blanche Payson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Cohen Media Amazon Channel, FilmBox Live Amazon Channel, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Three Ages about?
- Buster Keaton turns one determined courtship into three escalating silent-comedy adventures across the Stone Age, ancient Rome, and the modern world.
- What is Three Ages like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Three Ages as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Three Ages violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Three Ages as mild.
- What did critics think of Three Ages?
- Critics broadly praise the film's abundant laughs and Keaton's comic invention while finding its episodic narrative overloaded and uneven.
- Which films are like Three Ages?
- Films with a similar feel include Sherlock Jr., The General, and The Gold Rush.
- How long is Three Ages?
- Three Ages runs 64 minutes.
- Where can I watch Three Ages?
- In United States, Three Ages streams on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, FilmBox Live Amazon Channel, Artiflix.
