I was so glad that this film was good. I was really
disappointed with Chaplin’s first two Essanay films His New Job and A Night Out.
This is a real return to form. The idea was actually taken from a Fred Karno
sketch that Chaplin performed before entering the movie industry. Perhaps one
of the reasons for the film’s success is that Chaplin knew what he was doing
before he went in rather than partially making it up as he went along.
The film really shows its age with its intertitles. There
wasn’t one occasion where I understood every word! But you have to remember
that this film is 97 years old and language changes. Another thing that changes
is people’s attitudes and sensibilities towards kissing. It’s hard to believe
now but Hollywood once enforced a self censorship ruling that meant that no on
screen kiss could last more than a couple of seconds. Although made in pre-code
Hollywood ,
Chaplin got round this type of censorship by having his Tramp kiss Edna from
behind a large beer bottle. It’s a clever device that works around censorship.
The film is much slower and more measured than much of
Chaplin’s other work of the period and especially the work of Keystone. The
opening scene in which Chaplin shares a hotdog with his equally starving dog is
both very sweet and very slow and reminiscent of his later work. It’s a
complete opposite of his previous Keystone films.
The highlight of the film is undoubtedly the boxing.
Watching Chaplin train in his trademark bowler hat is brilliant and the big
fight itself is hilarious and extremely well choreographed. Chaplin and Jamison
spend half the fight either falling over or in embraces, punching themselves in
the face and the umpire obviously gets a few punches thrown his way too. Raging Bull this is not. You have to
feel that the film is a precursor to Chaplin’s massively successful City Lights which features his famous
boxing scene. Another highlight is the fantastic makeup and over the top fake
facial hair of the film’s villain Leo White, a motif of Chaplin’s early work.
Without dialogue you are still always sure who the bad guy is with his deep
dark eyes, pale face and enormous moustache.
This film is not up there with Chaplin’s later work but
shows great potential. It is a marked improvement on his earlier Essanay films
and introduced a lot of action into his repertoire.
6/10
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