Sherlock Jr.
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.
Directed by Buster Keaton · Action · Comedy · Romance · 45 min · 1924
Trailer
Director
Buster Keaton
Writer
Jean Havez, Joseph A. Mitchell, Clyde Bruckman
Studio
Metro Pictures Corporation
Release
11 May 1924
Runtime
45 min
Genres
Action, Comedy, Romance
Full Plot
A meek and mild projectionist, who also cleans up after screenings, would like nothing better than to be a private detective. He becomes engaged to a pretty girl but a ladies man known as the Sheik vies for her affection. He gets rid of the projectionist by stealing a pocket watch belonging to the girl's father - which he pawns to buy her an expensive box of candy. He then slips the pawn ticket into the projectionist's pocket and subsequently is found by the police. He doesn't have much luck but in his dreams, he the debonair and renowned detective Sherlock Jr. who faces danger and solves the crime. In real life, the girl solves crimes quickly.
Cast & Characters
Projectionist / Sherlock Jr. – A poor, young projectionist who wants to marry The Girl. He has an interest in being a detective and when he falls asleep, he dreams of being Sherlock Jr., the world's greatest detective.
Buster Keaton
The Girl – The daughter of a fairly wealthy man, whom the Projectionist is in love with. In the dream, she must be saved by Sherlock Jr.
Kathryn McGuire
The Girl's Father – A man who is wealthier than most. He does not want his daughter marrying a thief. In the dream, he is a very rich man.
Joe Keaton
The Hired Man / The Butler – A hired man of the girl's father. In the dream, he is a co-conspirator in the theft of the necklace.
Erwin Connelly
The Local Sheik / The Villain – A poor scoundrel that has his eyes for the girl. He steals the pocket watch, and in the dream, he is the villain who steals the necklace.
Ward Crane
Theatre Manager / Gillette, Sherlock's assistant – The projectionist's boss in the real world. In the dream, he is the assistant. (uncredited)
Ford West
box office cashier (uncredited)
Rosalind Byrne
The Mother (uncredited)
Jane Connelly
Conspirator (uncredited)
George Davis
Girl Who Loses Dollar Outside Cinema (uncredited)
Doris Deane
Candy Store Girl (uncredited)
Christine Francis
Did You Know?
Originally titled The Misfit, production began in January 1924 in Los Angeles.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Sherlock Jr. holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (64,220 votes), 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 2, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (64,220 votes), 87% on Rotten Tomatoes), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sherlock Jr.'s Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Sherlock Jr. holds a 87% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Sherlock Jr.'s IMDb rating?+
Sherlock Jr. has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 64,220 votes.
Is Sherlock Jr. good? What are critics saying?+
Sherlock Jr. holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (64,220 votes), 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
How long is Sherlock Jr.?+
Sherlock Jr. has a runtime of 45 min.
Who directed Sherlock Jr.?+
Sherlock Jr. was directed by Buster Keaton.
Where can I watch Sherlock Jr.?+
Sherlock Jr. is available to stream, rent, or buy on FlixFling, TCM, IndieFlix, Kino Film Collection, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel, FilmBox Live Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Sherlock Jr." is overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers praising Buster Keaton's performance as a comedic take on Sherlock Holmes. Reviewers also express admiration for the film's intricate plot and silent cinema style. The reviews are largely enthusiastic, with many calling it a "masterpiece" of comedy and silent cinema.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
What a superbly intricate piece of comedic cinema this is. Keaton is a down-at-heel cinema projectionist who fancies himself as a budding "Sherlock Holmes". When a love-rival manages to frame him for pinching his (rather fickle) girlfriend's father's watch his life seems to have…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
I stumbled upon the General and it blew my mind. This Buster Keaton guy was an amazing actor.
@MikeWizam7 · 5 likesI just watched your blu ray of this tonight. Great film. So entertaining.
@svicciarelli · 18 likesA masterpiece of comedy and silent cinema that still enthralls and makes us laugh 100 years after its initial release
@HugoSoup57 · 4 likeswhen we're finally see Malek playing him?
@AliceNabla · 2 likesSuper Keaton !! 😅
@Divyanshu0236 · 0 likes
