Charlie Chaplin (1951)

Essanay — the transitional period 49 grandly upstairs. It is likely that in some scenes Chaplin was burlesquing Francis X. Bushman, Essanay's drama lead and the romantic idol of the day. "Carmen" was a satire not only of the opera, but more particularly of the Cecil De Mille movie version starring Geraldine Farrar and Wallace Reid and the competing Fox version starring Theda Bara, both released that year. The sets and much of the action directly travestied the De Mille picture. By general agreement "The Tramp," released April 1 1 , 1915, is ranked as the first Chaplin classic. It remains one of his most important pictures, the first in which he injects a clear note of pathos, so important in most of his later films. This comedy ventured on a "sad" ending, unheard of in those days. As the tramp, Charlie saves a girl from a robber gang. He is rewarded with a job on her father's farm. The crooks return to rob the farmer. Charlie routs them, but is shot in the leg. Nursed by the girl, he is supremely happy until the girl's handsome sweetheart arrives. Sadly Charlie scribbles a note of farewell, ties up his little bundle, and goes on his vagabonding way. In the fadeout scene we see him, back to the camera, starting dejectedly down the long road. Suddenly he pauses, shrugs philosophically, flips his heels, and ambles jauntily toward the horizon, as the scene irises out. Many variations of this ending were to be used. Pathos also appears in "The Bank." Charlie, the janitor, is dissolved in distant adoration of a beautiful stenographer. Outside her office he holds his hand over his heart, blows a kiss toward her in mock-heroic fashion, turns and bumps into the door he has just closed. Next she breaks his heart by tossing out an expensive bouquet he has sent her and tearing up the accompanying love note. In his corner he dreams up a bank robbery in which he emerges as hero, capturing the robbers and