The Vagabond (1916)
this was a good one, but not necessarily for its comedy. Here, Chaplin plays a street performer who wanders off, meets a girl being abused by gypsies, rescues that girl, and then falls in love. This is more romance and action than comedy with a great deal of pathos in the former foreshadowing what was to come in most of Chaplin’s feature-length films.
There’s a terrific opening shot of Chaplin’s feet shown approaching below one of those swinging saloon double doors. Man, I liked that shot a lot. The funniest chunk of this short is right at the beginning as inhabitants of the bar, as well as a rival batch of street musicians, chase Chaplin in a scene that takes advantage of the fact that the establishment has two entrances. From there, you get some physical abuse that might be a little too cruel (a whip?), a hideous gypsy woman who looks like a witch, assault with a tree branch, and a love triangle that doesn’t have nearly enough time to develop. Oh, and the goofiest title card I’ve seen in a while, one that reads “I will learn to paint, kiddie.” I will learn to paint, kiddie? What?
Still, this one holds up really well as a nice little dramatic comedy short. And I think I just learned that Charlie Chaplin was left handed. Either I knew that at one point and completely forgot or never knew that. He definitely plays the violin like a left-hander though.
Initial release: 10 July 1916 (USA)
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Initial DVD release: 25 March 2008 (Czechia)
Distributed by: Mutual Film
Screenplay: Charlie Chaplin, Vincent P. Bryan, Maverick Terrell