Although this is not an earth-shaking classic, it is a very pleasant little film.
Charlie is not yet, as W.C. Fields would later call him, "the world's best ballet dancer", but he takes his falls gracefully. Even more, he permits his other actors their moments in the light. Mack Swain is -- not surprisingly -- very good and even Alice Davenport, as Mack's sleep-walking wife, gets some very funny moments. Chaplin clearly has the film as his primary consideration and his performance take secondary consideration. This was one of the reasons he was able to flourish as an actor-director for thirty years.
But if you're looking for a work of comic genius, this is not it. Chaplin never did any of those at Keystone. Their brand of farce did not really suit him.
Charlie is not yet, as W.C. Fields would later call him, "the world's best ballet dancer", but he takes his falls gracefully. Even more, he permits his other actors their moments in the light. Mack Swain is -- not surprisingly -- very good and even Alice Davenport, as Mack's sleep-walking wife, gets some very funny moments. Chaplin clearly has the film as his primary consideration and his performance take secondary consideration. This was one of the reasons he was able to flourish as an actor-director for thirty years.
But if you're looking for a work of comic genius, this is not it. Chaplin never did any of those at Keystone. Their brand of farce did not really suit him.