Our Mutual Friend: Charlie Chaplin Shorts

On January 11, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp character.  The event was held at the Castro Theater.

The program consisted of three film screenings.  I skipped the screenings of The Kid and Gold Rush...both of which I had recently seen on the big screen.  I watched the program titled Our Mutual Friend: Charlie Chaplin Shorts which consisted of three two-reelers Chaplin made while working at Mutual Film Corporation.

The Vagabond starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance & Eric Campbell; directed by Chaplin; silent with intertitles; (1916)
The Cure starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell & Henry Bergman; directed by Chaplin; silent with intertitles; (1917)
Easy Street starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance & Eric Campbell; directed by Chaplin; silent with intertitles; (1917)

All three films were accompanied by Jon Mirsalis on piano.  Mr. Mirsalis runs a fansite honoring Lon Chaney, Sr.

I misplaced the program for the event so I wasn't able to read about the films or Chaplin.  Those programs are typically very informative (although there is a tendency to digress) so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage in writing this entry.  Typically, I watch the film, read the program article on the film, let my memory of the film filter through the words written in the program and write my thoughts days/weeks/months later.

If one had no idea about the chronology of Chaplin's filmography, one would still suspect these Mutual films predated his most memorable film appearances as the Little Tramp.  First, they were shorter films - approximately 30 minutes each.  The costuming was off a little from the Tramp's later, more familiar look (see photo below).  Most importantly, the three films lacked the pathos which is so inextricably linked to the Tramp.  He even gets the girl in two of the films!

The three films did not feature The Little Tramp character but some prototype which was interesting to see but vaguely disconcerting for anyone who is familiar with and admires Chaplin's most celebrated works.

In The Vagabond, Chaplin is a street musician who wanders into a gypsy encampment.  She falls for the gypsy girl (Purviance) who is abused by the gypsy chief (Eric Campbell).  Actually, I believe Purviance's character was kidnapped by gypsies which explains why a wealthy family is looking for her.  One of men searching for her is clearly attracted to her.  When they find her, she jumps at opportunity to leave the gypsy life behind and rides off in the limousine...only to have the car be turned so they can go back and pick up the Tramp.  Presumably, she is choosing the Tramp over the wealthier, more attractive man although it could be interpreted that she is simply lifting him out of poverty.  Regardless, the Tramp shouldn't be riding off in the limousine with the girl under any circumstances.

In Easy Street, the Tramp spends most of the film dressed in a police uniform.  He is duly appointed police officer!  The Tramp can never be The Man!  Anyway, Chaplin is assigned to the titular Easy Street which is anything but.  It's a rough and tumble block ruled over by Eric Campbell as a quick-fisted criminal.  Campbell & Chaplin mix it up a few times with the Tramp's ingenuity and dexterity saving his bacon.  Eventually, Purviance is kidnapped by a rapist opium addict and is rescued by Chaplin.  The depiction of the opium den and rapist's intentions were darker than usual for a Chaplin film.  Of the three films on the program, this was my favorite although I was mild about all three.

The Cure is set at an alcohol detox spa.  The Tramp is a drunkard (?)  in need of "the cure" which in this case involves drinking the therapeutic water from a spring near the spa. The Tramp arrives with a suitcase full of alcohol which promptly gets thrown out the window and its contents inadvertently contaminate the spring water.  As you can imagine, much of the humor comes from the unwitting intoxication of all who partake of the spring water.  Henry Bergman plays a burly masseur who has the funniest scenes in the film.  As I learned from Chaplin, one of his earliest characters was the unsteady, stumbling drunk which seems more prevalent in The Cure than The Tramp.

All in all, the program was not the most memorable of screenings from the San Francisco Silent Film Festival but I was still entertained.

Charlie Chaplin & Edna Purviance in The Cure

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Speaking of silent films...the Stanford Theater is screening two silent films this week.  Today, That Certain Thing (1928) is screening at 4:30 and 7:30.  On Wednesday & Thursday (January 29 & 30), The Power of the Press (1928) is screening at 7:30 nightly.  That Certain Thing is paired up with It Happened One Night (1934) and The Power of the Press is on a double bill with Platinum Blonde (1931).  All four films were directed by Frank Capra.  Dennis James is accompanying the silent films on the Stanford Theater's Mighty Wurlitzer.

I believe I saw James in the audience at the Castro Theater last night.  He was watching Noir City's screening of The Hitch-Hiker.  The film was scheduled to start at 9:30 PM but was at least 30 minutes late.  That Certain Thing screened last night at the Stanford at 7:30 with James accompanying it.  It would have been tight for him to get from Palo Alto to San Francisco (door-to-door) in the time between screenings so maybe it wasn't him.

Tony Stark, Charlie Chaplin, et al.

In September, I saw a double feature at the Castro.

The Kid starring Charlie Chaplin & Jackie Coogan; directed by Charlie Chaplin; silent with intertitles; (1921)
Chaplin starring Robert Downey Jr.; with Moira Kelly, Kevin Kline, Diane Lane & Anthony Hopkins; directed by Richard Attenborough; (1992)

Speaking of Chaplin, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival has announced their next event.  The Little Tramp at 100 will be on January 11, 2014 at the Castro.  2014 marks the centennial of Chaplin's first film.

I saw The Kid a few years ago.  I stand by what I wrote then.  The Kid is a nice enough film but in the Chaplin filmography, my favorite films would come later in his career.  Ironically, he would make his best silent films during the "talkies" era.

Chaplin is a film I remember from its initial release in 1992.  Much heralded at the time of its release, I had forgotten that Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Charlie Chaplin.  As I watched his performance (perhaps rewatched since my film log doesn't go back that far), I realized how much I enjoy his performance and that Downey is truly a movie star.

There is something about him which radiates on the screen.  It could be his acting abilities but he seems to be playing variations on the same role for the past several years - glib, self-assured, frequently intoxicated.  He's played this role many times but when I looked at his filmography I see some outstanding performances.  I've been thinking a lot of his performance in Less Than Zero and I am keen to see the film on the big screen again from the more jaded perspective of a 40something.  James Spader and Robert Downey together.  Those two actors always draw your attention to them and they have selected roles which play to their strengths over the years (Spader primarily on television).

Then I remember Downey in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and his on screen chemistry with Val Kilmer or him as the killer in US Marshals and how he held his own on-screen with Tommy Lee Jones.  Remembering his start on Saturday Night Live, I recalled his comedic turns as the blackfaced actor Tropic Thunder. One of my guilty pleasures is enjoying his turn as Tony Stark in numerous films.  Can't say I was so taken with the Sherlock Holmes films as he seems to be channeling Stark in his performances.

Anyway, I was curious to see Downey in Chaplin.  It was a mixed bag.  First, it seems like everyone and their cousin had a role in this film.  In addition to the aforementioned actors, David Duchovny, Geraldine Chaplin, Dan Ackroyd, Marisa Tomei, Milla Jovovich, Penelope Ann Miller, Nancy Travis, James Woods and I'm sure I'm missing a few.  The number of characters was dizzying.  Although I recognize and had passing knowledge of Fairbanks and Paulette Goddards and even Mabel Normand, the film seemed to want to check all the boxes as opposed to tell a great story.

Chaplin's life was pretty interesting.  The root cause of his interest in underage women is a little vague except his true love was a teenage girl when he left for America.  We're also treated to Geraldine Chaplin playing her mentally unstable grandmother and wondering what the actress is thinking and feeling while portraying the woman who had such an influence on her father.

Director Richard Attenborough applies the Gandhi formula to Chaplin - bigger plus grander equals better.  Chaplin is clearly Attenborough's paean to Hollywood lore and it's bathed in the gentle light of an acolyte's camera.  Chaplin is cast as the victim of J. Edgar Hoover's wrath.  That's certainly true to a certain extent but Chaplin's behavior and failure to rein in his own actions played some role.  However, I don't want to debate Chaplin's moral character or the political overtones of his films.  Where Chaplin falls short is in the casting someone other than Charlie Chaplin in the lead role.

Downey does a fair job as Chaplin but he is noticeably lacking as the Little Tramp.  When Downey does the physical comedy of Chaplin on stage or reenacts his movie scenes, the magic is absent.  To be fair to Downey, I doubt anyone could duplicate Chaplin's screen presence as the Little Tramp.  It would be like trying to cast someone else as Tony Stark; they would come out worse in comparison to the original.  Maybe you could find an actor to play Robert Downey Jr. effectively but Downey's performance as Stark is so indelible that any actor would suffer in the comparison.

I won't go so far to say I didn't enjoy Chaplin.  It was kind of fun to see the early days of Hollywood.  Kevin Kline even does a game turn as Douglas Fairbanks.  Chaplin is one of those film that doesn't stand the test of time and I'm referring to the past 21 years.  Downey's competitors for the Academy Award for Best Actor that year were Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman), Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven), Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) and Denzel Washington (Malcolm X).

It seems clear to me that Eastwood should have won that year but in fact, Pacino won.  In hindsight, Pacino's performance looks like parody.  Along those same lines, Downey appears to be attempting to mimic Chaplin (the real man) as opposed to give Chaplin (the film character) his own motivations.  Downey doesn't appear comfortable in the role; he doesn't stamp the role as his own as he does in countless other films.  He is hamstrung by Chaplin's real actions and the Hollywood mythology which has developed around Chaplin and the early days of film.  It's difficult to play the complex Chaplin much less recreate his greatest scenes on film and if Downey couldn't do it, I wonder who can.

The Gold (Book) Rush

In my last post, I mentioned Landmark Theaters Gold Books. As if on cue, I was informed today of an upcoming change in the Landmark Theaters admission policy.

When I went to see Shame earlier today, I redeemed a Gold Book ticket for admission. The cashier told me that the Gold Books are being discontinued soon. They will be replaced by "Platinum Books" and will cost more. The cashier was a light on hard information such as when the Gold Books will be discontinued or how much the Platinum Books will cost but I was able to pin him down on one salient fact. The Gold Books will continue to be honored even after they stop selling them. With that nugget of information, I purchased an additional Gold Book at $193.75 even though I had more than 15 redemptions left on my Gold Book. I may go back and get myself a few more.

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Long, long ago, I received a pass for one admission from the Chistopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. I've only gone there for the Mill Valley Film Festival. The regular film programming at the Smith Rafael largely mirrors that which is available in the City. Given the $5 Golden Gate Bridge toll, I've been reluctant to drive up there to see something I could see in the City. However, this week, the Smith Rafael is screening a restored version of Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925) which I don't see screening anywhere else. Given that the pass expires on January 31, 2012, I'll probably make my way up to San Rafael to see The Gold Rush which serendipitously is a film I have not seen before. It's fallen through the cracks of two Chaplin retrospectives in the Bay Area in the past few years.

The Gold Rush plays at 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM daily until Thursday, December 29. On Xmas day, there is only a 4:30 screening.

You Can Get (Almost) Anything in Vegas...

As the saying goes, you can get anything, anytime in Las Vegas...except a 35 mm projector.

A little over a week ago, I was in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has the reputation of being an entertainment mecca and perhaps that is true if you want to see Celine Dion, Blue Man Group or Cirque du Soleil. As far as movies go, Vegas is the land of the multiplex. There must be close to 200 screens in the Las Vegas metropolitan area and on any given week, they probably screen 15 unique films between them. In other words, every cineplex is playing the same film(s)...on multiple screens. I don't believe there is a single screen theater left in Vegas.

In late May, it was with some surprise I read that the Henderson Symphony Orchestra was performing the live orchestration to a screening of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights on Friday, June 3. I didn't know Henderson had an orchestra and I certainly didn't expect a screening of City Lights.

As I was reading the Las Vegas Review Journal article previewing the screening, I was dumbstruck by this sentence. "The film is being projected by a 35mm projector used during the times of the original film," [a Henderson spokesman] said. "The film industry switched over to digital film projection years ago, and the old projectors are hard to come by. We were unable to find this type of projector in Southern Nevada but were able to rent one from Hollywood (to show the film Friday)."

Call me an elitist or cinematic snob but I was not aware that 35 mm projectors were so hard to come by. It seems like every theater I go to in the Bay Area has not one but two 35 mm projectors in the booth. Considering how many screens there are in Las Vegas, it's amazing that all of them have converted to digital and that they didn't keep a 35 mm around. The University of Nevada at Las Vegas didn't have one? They offer a Bachelor of Arts in Film at the institution.

Then I wondered why they chose City Lights. The film was released in 1931 with a full soundtrack including scoring and sound effects but no dialogue. Why not choose one of Chaplin's silent films?

The most amazing part of the article was "Tickets are $10." Do you hear that San Francisco Silent Film Festival? The audience was treated to a philharmonic with over 60 musicians for 10 bucks!

According to Bethany Swain's post on the Henderson Symphony's Facebook page, the official ticket count was 1,217 which puts it on par with the SF Silent Film Festival's better attended screenings. Perhaps this will lead to more film projects by the Henderson Symphony. By the way, Swain is a cellist in the Henderson Symphony.

The Little Tramp Returns

As I mentioned, there was a Charlie Chaplin retrospective at the Castro Theater in September. I went to several of the screenings.

The Circus silent with intertitles; (1928, 72 min.)
The Idle Class with Edna Purviance; silent with intertitles; (1921, 32 min.)
A Day's Pleasure with Edna Purviance; silent with intertitles; (1919, 19 min.)
City Lights with Virginia Cherrill; silent with intertitles; (1931, 87 min.)
A Dog's Life with Edna Purviance; silent with intertitles; (1918, 33 min.)
Sunnyside with Edna Purviance; silent with intertitles; (1919, 30 min.)
The Kid with Edna Purviance & Jackie Coogan; silent with intertitles; (1921, 54 min.)

All the films starred and were directed by Chaplin. All the films (except City Lights, I believe) were re-scored by Chaplin in the later part of his life.

As it turned out, I had previously seen all the films except A Dog's Life and The Kid. I saw most of the film in December 2007 when the Castro and PFA had a similar Chaplin retrospective.

I won't recount the films that I've previously seen except City Lights. Having seen several Chaplin films, I think my two favorite are City Lights and Modern Times which are similar in that they were released well into the "talkie" era but largely used silent film techniques. The films were scored and had some sound effects but there was no dialogue. Instead, intertitle cards were used. I guess Chaplin perfected the silent film except he didn't do it until after sound came to the movies.

City Lights has the Little Tramp trying to raise money for an operation to restore the eyesight of a blind woman (Cherrill). The film features several hilarious scenes involving the Tramp with a millionaire (Harry Myers) who is his best friend when drunk and can't remember him when sober. Also, there is a classic scene where the Tramp boxes a few rounds to make some money.

The performance of Virginia Cherrill was particularly effective. I have not seen her in any other films. A few years after City Lights, Cherrill would become Mrs. Cary Grant. After a short marriage to him, she would go on to marry into English nobility and become the Countess of Jersey. However, at the time of filming City Lights, Cherrill was a 23 year old actress with only screen credit to her name.

Her performance as the blind woman is very good but in the last scene of the film, Chaplin and Cherrill have an exchange which is exceptional. Having had her sight restored, Cherrill's character is now the confident owner of a successful floral shop. Chaplin is just released from prison for stealing the money (wrongfully accused I might add) used to pay for Cherrill's operation. Chaplin, of course, knows who Cherrill is but Cherrill's character has never seen her benefactor and is certainly not expecting a down & out hobo. In a complex mix of condescension, pity and kindness, Cherrill offers the Tramp a fresh cut flower and a coin. When she feels his hand, she realizes who the Tramp is. As the films fades out, Cherrill (and Chaplin) are distinctly ambiguous as to how they feel. Cherrill appears shocked and little disappointed; Chaplin seems embarrassed.

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The films I saw for the first time were The Kid and A Dog's Life.

Released in 1918, A Dog's Life is one the earliest Little Tramp films I've seen. After seeing more developed plotlines by Chaplin, a two-reeler like A Dog's Life doesn't stand up well in comparison. The Tramp has a number of humorous scenes but his bond to the dog or dance hall girl Edna Purviance is not explored much. The highlights include the Tramp avoiding a police officer by sliding under a fence, a dog (looked like a pit bull) biting the Tramp on the seat of his pants and hanging one while he twirls around and the Tramp outwitting a thief by standing behind an unconscious man and fooling him into thinking his arms belong to the unconscious man.

The Kid was a better film but still has a thin plot. Jackie Coogan is cute as a button. The Tramp is up to his usual bag of tricks but instead of dog, he has a five year old as a sidekick. A few scenes were touching but the story didn't pull at my heartstrings as much I thought it would.

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On second viewing, the film which caught my attention was Sunnyside. In this film, Charlie does not don his Tramp wardrobe until late in the film. Charlie plays a lovestruck hotel bellboy. The character is not much like the Little Tramp. Later, seeing Edna Purviance's character romanced by a big city dandy, Charlie dons some of the Tramps clothing. He adds some makeshift spats and cane with some match in the tip to mimic the dandy but the resemblance to the Tramp is unmistakable. Equally interesting was that Edna's father in the film was reading a Hebrew language newspaper. I'm sure that was part of the "Chaplin is Jewish" conspiracy.

Seeing Chaplin in a role other than the Little Tramp and playing the role well made me wonder what Chaplin could have accomplished if he were not so committed to playing the Little Tramp. Of course, he was the most accomplished actor in Hollywood of his generation and his work endures nearly 100 years later. Maybe I'm being sacrilegious but the Little Tramp gets old for me after awhile. Having seen Chaplin in his later works after he stopped playing the character, I wish I could see more of the younger Chaplin in roles other than the Tramp.

Charlie Chaplin at the Castro Redux

The Castro Theater has posted the schedule for their Charlie Chaplin retrospective. Actually, it's a touring program sponsored by Janus Films. The full Janus program consists of 17 titles but the Castro line-up only has 12.

Saturday Sept 18
The Circus (1928, 72 min.)
The Idle Class (1921, 32 min.)
A Day's Pleasure (1919, 19 min.)

Sunday Sept 19
City Lights (1931, 87 min.)
A Dog's Life (1918, 33 min.)
Sunnyside (1919, 30 min.)

Monday Sept. 20
Modern Times (1936, 87 min.)
Pay Day (1922, 22 min.)

Tuesday Sept 21
The Great Dictator (1940, 124 min.)
The Kid (1921, 54 min.)

Wednesday Sept 22
Limelight (1952, 137 min.)
Shoulder Arms (1918, 37 min.)

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I'm not sure what is prompting this retrospective. They had a Chaplin retrospective less than 3 years ago at the Castro and PFA.



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The San Francisco Silent Film Festival announced their next two events.

Their Winter Event will be on Saturday, February 12, 2011. The 16th Annual Silent Film Festival will be held July 14 to 17, 2011. I notice the festival is four days again in 2011. I recall reading that this year's festival was expanded to four days (from three) to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the festival. Apparently the fourth day was considered a success.

Presumably both events will be held at the Castro Theater.

Taking Inventory as of February 3

San Francisco Silent Film Festival Winter Event at the Castro Theater
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages; directed by D.W. Griffith; silent with intertitles; (1916)

Note: Intolerance was added to the inventory list on February 9, 2009 to correct its inadvertent omission. I saw this film on December 1, 2007. I was reminded of this because Intolerance is showing at the 2009 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose.

Charlie Chaplin Retrospective at the Castro Theater.

Modern Times with Paulette Goddard; mostly silent; (1936)
The Circus; silent; (1928)
Sunnyside; silent; (1919)
A Day's Pleasure; silent; (1919)
Pay Day; silent; (1922)
Monsieur Verdoux with Martha Raye; (1947)
Limelight; (1952)
A King in New York; (1957)
The Great Dictator with Paulette Goddard; (1940)

Irma la Douce with Jack Lemmon & Shirley MacLaine; directed by Billy Wilder; (1963)

Valley of the Heart's Delight with Pete Postlethwaite and Bruce McGill; (2006) - Official Site

All in This Tea; documentary; (2007)- Official Site

Rock Hudson & Doris Day Double Feature at the Castro Theater.
Pillow Talk co-starring Tony Randall; (1959)
Lover Come Back co-starring Tony Randall; (1961)

Helvetica; documentary; (2007) - Official Site

Akira Kurosawa & Toshirô Mifune Retrospective at the Castro Theater.
Rashomon; Japanese with Subtitles; (1950)
Stray Dog; Japanese with Subtitles; (1949)
The Bad Sleep Well; Japanese with Subtitles; (1960)
High and Low; Japanese with Subtitles; (1953)

Juno; (2007) - Official Site

Noir City 6 Film Festival at the Castro Theater.
Repeat Performance with Joan Leslie; (1947)
The Hard Way with Ida Lupino & Joan Leslie; (1943)
Gun Crazy with Peggy Cummins; (1950)
The Grand Inquisitor with Marsha Hunt; directed by Eddie Muller; (2008) - Official Site
Moonrise with Gail Russell; (1948)
Night Has 1000 Eyes with Edward G. Robinson; (1948)
Woman in Hiding with Ida Lupino & Howard Duff; (1950)
Jeopardy with Barbara Stanwyck & Barry Sullivan; (1953)
Hangover Square with Laird Cregar and Linda Darnell; (1945)
Dangerous Crossing with Jeanne Crain; (1953)
Reign of Terror with Robert Cummings and Richard Basehart; (1949)
Border Incident with George Murphy & Ricardo Montalban; (1949)
D.O.A with Edmond O'Brien; (1950)
The Story of Molly X with June Havoc; (1949)
Conflict with Humphrey Bogart; (1945)
The Suspect with Charles Laughton; (1944)
The 3rd Voice with Edmond O'Brien; (1960)
Face Behind the Mask with Peter Lorre & Evelyn Keyes; (1941)
Roadhouse with Richard Widmark, Ida Lupino, and Cornel Wilde; (1948)
Night and the City with Richard Widmark & Gene Tierney; (1950)

Charlie Chaplin at the Castro

BAM/PFA is having a Charlie Chaplin retrospective in Berkeley and at the Castro in December. There are number of classic films that I want to see. Earlier, I listed City Lights on my film list. That film will be repeated in December. Not quite a silent film; it has a musical score and a muffled voice is heard a la Charlie Brown's teacher. Allegedly, it was Chaplin speaking through a kazoo.

Among the highlights I want to see are:

The Great Dictator (1940); Chaplin plays Adenoid Hynkel (and his Jewish barber) in this satirical criticism of Hitler and the Nazis. I've heard about this movie since I was a kid but have never seen it (not even on TV). The film co-stars Paulette Goddard (Mrs. Charlie Chaplin at the time of the film). Trivia - Paulette Goddard would divorce Chaplin and marry Burgess Meredith who is best known to audiences as Mickey from the Rocky movies or the Penguin from the 1960's Batman television series. Extra trivia - my favorite Burgess Meredith role is a supporting role he had in John Wayne's In Harm's Way. You may recall that WWII movie for Kirk Douglas' supporting role where he rapes a nurse and atones for it by flying a fighter plane into sure death.

Modern Times (1936); Chaplin's satirical criticism (he made a lot of
satirical criticisms) about the dehumanizing effects of industrialization. Slipping back into his familiar role as The Little Tramp, this film includes Chaplin's most famous visual gag when he gets pulled through some giant gears and cogs. Once again, this is a movie I've heard a lot about but have never seen. Co-stars Paulette Goddard. Similar to City Lights, this film contains limited dialogue but has a score and sound effects.

The Kid (1921); The Little Tramp teamed with the biggest child star of the time - a seven year old Jackie Coogan. I've never seen Jackie Coogan as a child in any films. Forty years after this film, Coogan would play Uncle Fester in the TV series "The Addams Family."