Charlot #1: Making a Living

Had I seen a Keystone comedy? asked Mr Kessel. Of course, I had seen several, but I did not tell him that I thought they were a crude mélange of rough and rumble.

Chaplin, My Autobiography

Charlie plays a villain in this one. You can tell by the mustache.

It’s always fun to see future stars cast as villains in their early performances. Once you reach a certain level of stardom those roles become off-limits. The adoring public doesn’t want to see their favorite celebrities as less than angelic, or so the wisdom went in those early Hollywood days. Go watch After the Thin Man and tell me the conclusion doesn’t feel deeply, deeply wrong.

In the lengthy opening shot, Chaplin’s mustachioed swindler begs in pantomime for money from a passing reporter (and director of this film). Chaplin both refuses his offering as inadequate and accepts it before it’s withdrawn. He then proposes marriage to a lady he just meets, who accepts, because it’s the 1910s and we only have 12 minutes. The reporter arrives a minute too late to propose marriage himself, triggering a fight. Later, at the scene of a very dramatic single-car crash, Chaplin steals the reporter’s camera and tries to parlay it into stealing his job, resulting in a chase sequence with the famous Keystone Cops. The film ends with Chaplin and the reporter still duking it out on the street, their conflict unresolved.

My first reaction was intrigue at how slapdash the production appears, as was typical for a studio of Keystone’s stature. The opening seems to be shot in a manner of, oh-I-dunno, take the camera around the corner and figure something out. During the climactic battle in the streets of LA, several people on the street look into the lens. Yet apparently, according to Chaplin biographer David Robinson, this was a relatively involved production for Keystone. He notes in particular a “comparatively well-developed story line.” Perhaps the chase scene had slightly more motivation than the average Keystone Cop fare.

I believe that Chaplin starring in his very first film appearance is an indication of confidence by producer and Keystone founder Mack Sennett, who had discovered Chaplin in a New York theatre. The reason is evident on screen. Chaplin moves with an expressive slapstick energy clearly instilled by 20 years on the stage. He’s destined to be a star, and Sennett knew it.

It’s a strong debut, even if Chaplin’s talents seem to be restricted by the format. I just… can’t get over the absurd mustache. He should make it smaller for his next film. That’s a good idea.