The Immigrant (1917)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Writers:

Release Date:

17 June 1917 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Charlie is an immigrant who endures a challenging voyage and gets into trouble as soon as he arrives in America.

Plot Keywords:

Beans | Public Domain | Love Interest | Immigrant | Slapstick

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Charles Chaplin	...	Immigrant
Edna Purviance	...	Immigrant
Eric Campbell	...	The head waiter
Albert Austin	...	A diner
Henry Bergman	...	The artist

Also Known As:

A Modern Columbus (USA)
Broke (USA) (8mm release title (short version))
Hello U.S.A. (USA)
The New World (USA)

Runtime:

20 min | Germany:24 min (restored version) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lone Star Corporation

Trivia:

According to Kevin Brownlow's and David Gill's documentary series Unknown Chaplin (1983) (TV), the first scenes to be written and filmed take place in what became the movie's second half, in which the penniless Tramp finds a coin and goes for a meal in a restaurant, not realizing that the coin has fallen out of his pocket. It was not until later that Charles Chaplin decided the reason the Tramp was penniless was that he had just arrived on a boat from Europe, and used this notion as the basis for the first half. Edna Purviance reportedly was required to eat so many plates of beans during the many takes to complete the restaurant sequence (in character as another immigrant who falls in love with Charlie) that she became physically ill.

Goofs:

Continuity: An axe disappears off a wall between shots during the craps game. Chaplin originally shot a gag using the axe (photos of this sequence exist) but cut it from the final film, which created a continuity error.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Chaplin Today: A King in New York (2003) (TV)

Early Chaplin: The American Dream

'The Immigrant' is one of Charlie Chaplin's most beloved short films, and while it's highly enjoyable, that probably has more to do with its representation of American ideals. Himself British, Chaplin and Edna Purviance play immigrants. The first part of the film has them aboard a ship set for the states. These scenes are mostly Chaplin's typically refined slapstick and pantomime, but there's also a tendency towards a style of actuality, or documentary-like scenes--rather like the social realism pictures, such as with the opening shots of the immigrants.

There are also the sweet, tender moments and the pathos. By now, Chaplin had realized the tramp as a sympathetic protagonist whom audiences could root for, which is quite a transformation from his earlier incarnations. Once again, Chaplin balances seemingly perpendicular approaches fluently. There are very funny moments, such as in the restaurant and the gambling scene; sweet moments such as the ending; and of the actuality-like aspects, many have remarked on the shot of the Statue of Liberty.

As well, the happy ending with the artist represents the ideal of America as the land of opportunity. Some see a hint of social commentary, or slight criticizing, of America, as well, in 'The Immigrant'; the scene where the tramp kicks an immigration officer in the bum having supposedly aroused FBI director J. Edgar Hoover to revoke Chaplin's visa, as represented in 'Chaplin' (1992). Besides some generally politically neutral commentary on poverty and such, I don't see it; it's completely the opposite: 'The Immigrant' is an undisguised tribute to America as the land of opportunity (as it certainly was for Chaplin) and other such ideals. And, if 'The Immigrant' seems episodic at times, it's only indicative of the need for him to make longer films to better entertain and more fully express his ideas, which he would at First National.