Jimmy Shannon is the junior partner in the brokerage firm of Meekin and Shannon, which is on the brink of financial ruin. A lawyer (whom they dodged, mistakenly believing he was trying to add to their woes) finally manages to inform Jimmy of the terms of his grandfather's will. He will inherit seven million dollars if he is married by 7:00 p.m. on his 27th birthday, which happens to be that same day…

The film was based on a successful Broadway play written by Roi Cooper Megrue and produced by the famous Broadway producer David Belasco. It opened Aug. 8, 1916, at George M. Cohan's Theatre, and then moved to the Belasco Theatre on Oct. 23, 1916, playing there until it closed in December of that year. The film's opening scenes were shot in early Technicolor, and this rare color footage still survives on some prints.

At that time, the critics received "Seven Chances" as a minor film within Buster Keaton's filmography, even though it was hilarious enough to be considered a good comedy. The film was another box office success for Keaton, grossing $598,288 domestically.

Although today it stands as a second-rate film in Buster Keaton's extensive and astounding catalog, the film features some of the best shots of his career and the final chase scene is still considered one of the pinnacles of comedy. The International Buster Keaton Society recreated the Seven Chances "Bridal Run" in the streets of Muskegon, Michigan at their 2010 convention.

The film was based on a successful Broadway play written by Roi Cooper Megrue and produced by the famous Broadway producer David Belasco.  

The Soundtrack

"Seven Chances" was the first soundtrack for Buster Keaton's films made by Caspervek, written ex-profeso in 2015 for The Urban Beach Cinema, one of the largest open-air film festivals in Spain. The soundtrack defined the later style that the band would continue to use to score slapstick comedies, with a mix of classic jazz, swing, and the ensemble's signature minimalism.