Specialty CollectionGenre: SILENT FEATURE FILMS
Description: SILENT COMEDY WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF CHARLIE (CHAPLIN), A CITY SLICKER WHO CONVINCES TILLIE (MARIE DRESSLER) TO STEAL HER FATHER'S FORTUNE AND RUN AWAY WITH HIM. BUT ONCE THEY REACH THE CITY, HE TAKES HER MONEY AND RETURNS TO HIS SWEETHEART MABEL (NORMAND). TILLIE, DESERTED AND DESTITUTE, GETS A JOB IN A RESTAURANT, WHERE SHE PINES AWAY FOR CHARLIE. WHEN HE LEARNS HER WEALTHY UNCLE HAS DIED, CHARLIE RETURNS TO HER, AND ONLY AFTER A HASTY WEDDING DOES SHE REALIZE WHY HE HAS MARRIED HER. AFTER SHE DISCOVERS HIM KISSING MABEL, TILLIE GOES BERSERK, LEADING TO A MADCAP CLIMAX THAT INVOLVES THROWN PIES, GUNSHOTS AND A FRANTIC CHASE THAT LANDS TILLIE IN THE OCEAN. IN ONE OF HIS BEST KEYSTONE COMEDIES FROM 1914, CHARLIE CHAPLIN IS MARRIED TO LOVELY MABEL NORMAND. SHE'S UNHAPPY, BUT WHEN BIG MACK SWAIN IGNORES HIS OWN WIFE TO FLIRT WITH MABEL, CHARLIE DROWNS HIS JEALOUSY AT A LOCAL PUB. INTOXICATED UPON HIS RETURN HOME, CHARLIE MISTAKES A SPARRING DUMMY IN HIS APARTMENT FOR UNWELCOME MACK WITH BALLETICALLY COMIC RESULTS. THE FILM GIVES CHAPLIN A CHANCE TO USE PARTS OF HIS STAGE-PROVEN DRUNK ACT AND, LIKE MANY OF HIS PICTURES, OFFERS A DARK SUBTEXT (IN THIS CASE, IMPOTENCE AND ALCOHOLISM) JUST BENEATH THE CLEVER SURFACE. FIRST FULL-LENGTH FEATURE COMEDY.
