A Night Out (1915/I)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (writer)

Release Date:

15 February 1915 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

After a visit to a pub, Charlie and Ben cause a ruckus at a posh restaurant. Charlie later finds himself in a compromising position at a hotel with the head waiter's wife.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Restaurant | Fight | Bathroom | Fountain

Cast

Charles Chaplin	...	Reveller
Ben Turpin	...	Fellow Reveller
Bud Jamison	...	Headwaiter
Edna Purviance	...	The Headwaiter's Wife
Leo White	...	'French' Dandy / Desk clerk
Fred Goodwins	...	Desk clerk at second hotel

Also Known As:

Champagne Charlie
Charlie's Drunken Daze (USA)
Charlie's Night Out (USA)
His Night Out (USA)

Runtime:

33 min | Canada:27 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Niles, California, USA

Company:

Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, The

Trivia:

This was Edna Purviance's first film with Charles Chaplin.

Movie Connections:

Edited into The Essanay-Chaplin Revue of 1916 (1916)

The first genuinely botched acting I've seen in a Chaplin film so far!

It's difficult to examine the acting done in Chaplin's early comedies, because the term "acting" has to be used to so loosely. Chaplin is at his least impressive for much of the film, stumbling around drunk and causing havoc in a fancy restaurant. Definitely vintage slapstick, but this style has, ahem, gotten a little old.

Anyway, Charlie and a friend have apparently had a big night and are struggling to maintain in a nice restaurant surrounded by well-dressed guests, but soon prove to be nothing but trouble. Before long there is a huge, oafish waiter, who looks more like a bouncer, who has to come in and restore order. It quickly becomes clear that this is a very inexperienced actor. There is one scene where he's smacking Chaplin, and his punches are obviously fake, even in fast motion.

I am not the biggest fan of the violence in Chaplin's films, at least when it's overdone, even though it is generally so over the top that, while it does usually look pretty convincing, it can still get a few laughs. But like it or not, the kicks and punches are usually pretty convincing. Not this guy!

Anyway, the film gives us this example of messy acting, more of a drunken Chaplin, a jealous husband, some seedy motel rooms, and a bit with a dog. What more do we really need?