Convict 13 (1920) may not be as great as One Week (1920) or The Goat (1921), but it is one of the better of Buster Keaton's short films from his early period and the best showcase for the master's love of black humor. The gags are among the darkest Keaton ever conceived, foreshadowing the bleak tone of what is considered by many to be Keaton's greatest short, Cops (1922). My favorite part has to be the way Buster's would-be hanging is considered a sporting event, complete with popcorn vendors and a clapping, cheering crowd of inmates acting as the audience.
The ending is a tad disappointing since it's the tried and boring "it was all a dream" trope, but it does not harm the film all that much.
The ending is a tad disappointing since it's the tried and boring "it was all a dream" trope, but it does not harm the film all that much.