Sunday Silent: Charlie Chaplin Comedy Triple!

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Three two-reelers of the finest silent comedy from Chaplin’s early years in Hollywood, with live piano accompaniment by Lillian Henley. Young English music hall star Charles Chaplin made his first appearance in a motion picture in early 1914. Two short years later he was on his way to becoming an international superstar, film companies queuing up to fund the creator of the ‘Little Tramp’ with any budget he required! These are three of the twelve wonderful short films Chaplin made for the Mutual Film Corporation 1916-1917. They’re every bit as much of a joy to watch today as they were when first released, showing film by film how his filmmaking genius developed as performer, writer, director and editor. We begin with The Pawnshop . Charlie is a shop assistant with questionable shop assisting skills, successfully driving his fellow shopworkers, his boss and customers up the wall. It’s only when he happens to be in the right place at the right time that he inadvertently saves the day, wins the gratitude of his boss and the heart of the boss’s daughter. Next up in Behind the Screen , we meet film industry characters including a young aspiring actress and Charlie, this time a junior stagehand shifting scenery about to the orders of his lazy boss. There’s lots of fun to be had with cameras, costumes, props, cast and crew until suddenly a strike shuts down production and Charlie and his assistant (the actress, disguised as a boy) are in danger! We close with The Immigrant , which launches with tired and hungry immigrants aboard a ship bound for America, one of whom is Charlie. He meets a mother and her daughter aboard, and later, penniless but for the coin he’s just found on the street, re-meets the daughter by chance in a restaurant. He wrangles penury, beans and a very angry waiter before love wins the day. PARENTS! GUARDIANS! Please note the front row of our balcony is not suitable for seating young children due to the height of the guard-rail blocking small ones’ sightlines of our screen. Director: Charlie Chaplin Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Henry Bergman Year: 1916-1917 Language: Silent with live piano accompaniment Country: USA Running time: 1hr 20mins ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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