Charlie Chaplin’s sixth film for Mutual is one with very
high highs and disappointingly low lows. It features a scenario and story which
doesn’t really go anywhere but also features several moments of slapstick that
are amongst his best to date.
Chaplin stars as a pawnshop assistant and gets in a long
running fight with fellow employee John Rand. Typically inept at his job,
Chaplin is eventually fired only to be taken back on straight away after his
boss Henry Bergman has a change of heart. Meanwhile Chaplin’s attentions are
drawn to Bergman’s daughter Edna Purviance who is busy baking in the back of
the shop. Trouble appears late on as a thief, Eric Campbell enters the shop
intent on taking it for everything it’s got.
As I mentioned the plot is a little basic here. There is no
character development and the romantic component is only hinted at. Where the
film is successful is with its slapstick elements. Two areas stand out for me.
The first is Chaplin’s long fight with John Rand. Chaplin portrays a peculiar
but extremely funny fighting style and his character in general looks like he’s
off his head on something. The standout though is while the fight is happening;
Edna Purviance hears the ruckus and comes to investigate. Although Chaplin is
beating
Other great moments include Chaplin being ordered to wash up
and putting the crockery through a mangle and a scene in which he values a
clock by taking it to pieces, destroying it and then turning it down as it’s
broken. Moments like these remind me just how inventive and clever Chaplin was
capable of being with his comedy. It’s just a shame here in The Pawnshop that the comedy isn’t
coupled with a more impressive plot.
7/10
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