- Year :
- 1914
- Cast :
- Production :
- Keystone
- Description :
- Charlie is a property man in a vaudeville theater who must contend with the many demands of the various acts—the comediennes 'The Goo-Goo Sisters,' the strongman 'Garlico,' and the dramatic sketch artistes 'George Ham and Lena Fat.' Rehearsal goes poorly as does the first performance and the film ends with Charlie ending an argument by turning on the fire hose and deluging the entire company and the audience. Chaplin’s first two-reel comedy as director/scenarist/star once again draws upon the Karno sketch Mumming Birds as a source of inspiration (especially the burlesque of terrible stage acts). The Property Man was Chaplin’s first film set in a vaudeville theater/music hall. He would subsequently return to the theatrical world with the films A Night in the Show (1915), A Dog’s Life (1918), and Limelight (1952). Despite the many elements of crudeness and cruelty in the Chaplin Keystone comedies, commentators throughout the years have cited The Property Man as being especially cruel. The first critical complaint was expressed by Moving Picture World in their review of the film, 'There is some brutality in this picture and we can’t help feeling this is reprehensible. What human being can see an old man kicked in the face and count it fun?' Evidently Charlie’s treatment of the elderly assistant property man as well as Garlico’s treatment of Charlie hit a nerve with some audiences, despite the broad caricature of the clowning—and the resilience of the clowns themselves—that Chaplin employs in this comedy. Finished and shipped: July 20, 1914 Released: August 1, 1914 Scenario: Charles Chaplin Producer: Mack Sennett Director: Charles Chaplin Length: Two reels
- DVD & Blu-ray :