Chaplin had just gained release from Essanay and had control over this production. It resulted in one of his most subtle and funny short films, with much less of the pointless slapstick of his earlier, less shaped work. There are really one two scenes. Chaplin's tramp is on a ship bringing immigrants to America and meets Edna Purviance, his real-life main squeeze. Next, Chaplin, with no money to speak of, finds himself in a restaurant facing the mean, monumentally gigantic form of waiter Eric Campbell.
Well, Chaplin does a marvelous job with difficult material. I mean, the material must be difficult when the humor (and sentiment) has to depend on action without any dialog -- and without simple-minded pratfalls.
There is a sequence involving a coin that's been dropped on the floor that's as carefully choreographed as any dance involving Gene Kelly and Debby Reynolds in "Singin' In The Rain." So many people claim that Charlie Chaplin was a genius that I can almost believe it. But I wouldn't go that far. I'd just say he's very talented.
Well, Chaplin does a marvelous job with difficult material. I mean, the material must be difficult when the humor (and sentiment) has to depend on action without any dialog -- and without simple-minded pratfalls.
There is a sequence involving a coin that's been dropped on the floor that's as carefully choreographed as any dance involving Gene Kelly and Debby Reynolds in "Singin' In The Rain." So many people claim that Charlie Chaplin was a genius that I can almost believe it. But I wouldn't go that far. I'd just say he's very talented.