Filmed in Sacramento CA in 1927, this Buster Keaton comedy was released a year later when sound movies were starting to replace the silents. In 1928, Keaton was having to deal with a couple of crises that would soon affect his filmmaking and personal life. His long-time producer, Joseph M. Schenck, announced that the Keaton studio would be dissolved after filming of this movie was completed and that his contract would be sold to MGM. At this time, Schenck was Keaton's brother-in-law. Schenck's wife was the sister of Keaton's first wife, Natalie Talmadge. Keaton's marriage to Natalie was on the rocks and they would soon file for and get a divorce. Steamboat Bill Jr. includes Keaton's single most famous stunt where an entire building façade collapses onto him during a simulated cyclone scene.
-NW

Buster Keaton & Charles Reisner: Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)
iconauta
Feb 2, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdJA41sDWjE

Steamboat Bill Jr. is a 1928 feature-length comedy silent film featuring Buster Keaton. Released by United Artists, the film is the last product of Keaton's independent production team and set of gag writers. It was not a box-office success and proved to be the last picture Keaton would make for United Artists. Keaton would end up moving to MGM where he would make one last film with his trademark style, The Cameraman, before all of his creative control was taken away by the studio. Steamboat Bill Jr. featured Ernest Torrence, Marion Byron, and Tom McGuire. The film was named after a popular Arthur Collins song, "Steamboat Bill".

User Review posted on IMDB
8/10

21 September 2003 | by desperateliving (Canada)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019421/

For the first time since he was a baby, an effete Buster Keaton (BILL JR) comes home from Boston to visit his steamboat captain father (ERNEST TORRENCE), who's being troubled by the head of the other, finer steamboat, J.J. King (TOM MCGUIRE). Of course King's daughter (MARION BYRON) is home to visit her father, too! This completely delightful comedy glides right along, with outstanding physical comedy from Keaton. The lightness of the film is a benefit, as is the short 70m running time. There's no shortage of brilliant gags, my favorite being Keaton trying to get his jailed father to accept his homemade loaf of bread. ("That must of [sic] happened when the dough fell in the tool chest.") I loved the opening, as well, with Bill going along to different shops with his son in order to prepare him for the boat, and the hilarious scene in the hat shop as Junior eyes himself in the mirror as his father suggests these awful hats. The ending is just amazing (and dangerous!), as buildings fall apart due to an awful wind, with Buster doing a disappearing act and fighting to stand up straight and retain his composure.