Mooching Through Georgia

Homer Cobb, a dry-eyed Southerner played by Buster Keaton, stands before the camera and tells a rambling, funny account of how he hoodwinked Union forces during the Civil War. His narration hops between scenes of slapstick sabotage, clever disguises, and bumbling encounters with a Union colonel, while his relatives, including brother Cyrus and pa Titus, add to the chaos. The story keeps the focus on gags and situational humor rather than heavy drama, letting Keaton's physical timing and straight-faced reactions carry the action as schemes unfold and narrowly avoid disaster.

Released in 1939, the short comedy was directed by Jules White and credits Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton as creators. The cast lists Keaton as Homer Cobb, Monte Collins as Cyrus, Bud Jamison as Titus, Harley Wood as Lula Belle, and Lynton Brent as the Union colonel.

The picture didn't rack up major awards or notable industry honors at the time, and it isn't associated with major prize recognition in later retrospectives.

Critics and film fans tend to treat the movie as a light, period piece in Keaton's later catalog, reflected in its middling user score around 5.9 out of 10. Viewers who enjoy visual comedy appreciate the gag construction and timing more than narrative depth. The film leans into slapstick routines, mistaken identities, and clever props, so it's best seen as entertainment built on Keaton's strengths rather than a serious Civil War statement.

Among Keaton aficionados and classic comedy collectors, the film is remembered for how it adapts silent-era physical humor to a sound-era short. While it didn't redefine the genre, several scenes are cited in discussions of Keaton's post-silent work, showing how he kept refining pratfalls and deadpan delivery even as studio systems and talkies changed the rules of screen comedy.