Buster Keaton was recovering from severe bouts of alcoholism at the time, and despite the best efforts of director Adrian Brunel, Keaton did manage to sneak a few drinks during production.[2] He was noticeably impaired in some scenes but delivered a professional performance.
The Invader was produced as a quota quickie at Isleworth Studios by British & Continental, as part of a contract to supply films for MGM to meet its annual quota set by the British government. MGM released The Invader in England to comply with the quota, but declined to release it in the United States (Keaton had left MGM's employ under a cloud in 1933, and MGM was no longer promoting him as one of its players).
Instead, the American rights were secured by J. H. Hoffberg, a New York-based importer of European motion pictures. Hoffberg acquired the film in October 1935. This was the most important feature Hoffberg had handled, with a major star name to exploit, and the usually economical Hoffberg produced elaborate, full-color posters and accessories to promote the film, which he retitled An Old Spanish Custom.[3]
Release and reception
Buster Keaton was then making short comedies for Educational Pictures, but had not been seen in feature films since 1934. Hoffberg offered An Old Spanish Custom at much lower rates than Keaton's MGM features had commanded, which attracted attention from independent distributors in America. They in turn offered the film to neighborhood theaters in their regional territories, assuring national exposure.[4]An Old Spanish Custom was playing as a second feature in major theaters, beginning in December 1935.[5]
Trade reviewers called it typical for Keaton. "This will do in undiscriminating nabes (neighborhood theaters) as feature support," reported The Exhibitor, "Comedy lies in Keaton's attempts to acclimate self to Old Spain—dancing, serenading, dueling—in simple awkward style.[6]Film Daily noted: "Despite poor performances by the principal players, with the exception of Buster Keaton, and a creaky story, this British production provides some laughs and is okay for the pop houses. Photography okay. Direction so-so."[7]
Later revivals
Because An Old Spanish Custom was not handled by a major studio, the film went out of circulation after its initial runs. Only a few 16mm nontheatrical prints were held by local film libraries for rental use. It soon became one of the rarest Buster Keaton titles. The film was revived only occasionally on television in the 1950s, and in 1968 WIBF-TV in Philadelphia showed the film in prime time as part of its "The Best of the Worst" series.[8]
An Old Spanish Custom even returned to New York theaters: once on May 5, 1972, as part of the Thalia Theater's "Cinema Cavalcade" of obscure 1930s titles,[9] and once in 1991 at the Film Forum, as presented personally by historian William K. Everson.[10]
A VHS videotape version was released in 1990, and a DVD version followed in 2005.