Topic: The Adventurer (1917) - Charlie Chaplin

[metaldams]

      We now wrap up our Chaplin Mutual discussion with the 12th and final film of the series, 1917’s THE ADVENTURER.  It is also our goodbye to Eric Campbell, as he would tragically pass away shortly after this. 

      THE ADVENTURER for me stands out the most because it involves a silent comedy staple Chaplin would occasionally delve into, but not as often as his contemporaries - the chase.  This short starts out with a chase and ends with a chase.  Actually, watching the beginning, I was reminded of Freddie Sanborn’s comment about how THE IMMIGRANT starts out epic and dwindles down in the end.  While I’m perfectly fine with THE IMMIGRANT’s structure, I also understand what Freddie is saying.  THE ADVENTURER also starts out with this real epic chase, one you would think would end a short.  It is brilliantly crafted and even though it’s fast paced in parts, Chaplin also takes moments to breath while the chase is happening.  The buried in the sand gag, the gag where he realizes the guard’s feet is next to him so he buries the feet and most brilliantly, where it appears Chaplin is shot and plays dead, only to reverse mule kick the guard in the backside.  All of these gags lead to the guards falling down that sand dune.  A nice combination of picking the pace up and slowing down, brilliantly done.

      Chaplin in the water rescuing all the drowning people is another excellent part.  The biggest laugh in the short for me is when Chaplin is about to save Edna’s Mom but when he sees Edna drowning, he shoves the Mom to the side.  Hysterically low class, I love it.  Also love the way Eric Campbell gets saved yet when on the stretcher, gets dumped back in the water all over again.  Basically a nice way to stretch out the drowning gags a little further.

      The party stuff is good fun.  I really love the ice cream gag, especially when Eric Campbell tries to take the ice cream out of the lady’s back and gets slapped for his efforts.  Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.  Nice way of delaying Chaplin eventually getting found that’s he’s a convict at this party and not some guy with a yacht like he’s pretending.  The gag where Charlie’s wanted picture is the paper and he draws Eric Campbell’s beard on it to hide the fact from the guests is great.  Chaplin finds the judge but barely escapes recognition and there’s also the nice bit where Chaplin discovers the guard having a fling with the house servant hiding in the closet to conceal his affair.  Chaplin opens the closet and quickly runs away when he sees who is in there.  Yup, it’s just a matter of time until he gets caught.

      Unlike THE IMMIGRANT, the big part, being the chase, also ends this short.  Chaplin does get figured out and we get a big chase throughout the house.  I always get a big laugh when in spite of all the trouble Charlie is in, he still manages a moment to kiss Edna.  The door gag is brilliant and is mechanical in nature in a way one would normally associate with Keaton.  Keaton at this point barely debuted with Arbuckle, keep in mind.  But yeah, the short ends as it begins, via the chase.  Chaplin gets away from the guard and the short fades out, Chase still on.  A great short.

      So yeah, from here Chaplin goes to First National where he would make more shorts and of course, begin his transition into features.  I will try to shoehorn those films in the future.  After I do the final Lloyd short next week, it’s The Abbott and Costello show one week followed by whatever I want the next.  Chaplin some weeks may fall into “whatever I want.”

[Dr. Mabuse]

A memorable end to our Mutual discussion. One of my all-time-favorite Chaplin shorts, "The Adventurer" proved to be the most popular of the Mutual series.  Fast and furious, it is slapstick par excellence.

Chaplin delivers a beautifully timed performance as an escaped convict whose heroic deeds get him invited to a wealthy family’s home. Adapting to the lavish lifestyle, Charlie battles with Eric for the affections of Edna until the prison guards discover his whereabouts.  Shot partly on location in Malibu, the film includes two of Chaplin’s most inventive chase sequences — providing ideal bookends to the temporary refuge of high society.

The untimely loss of Eric Campbell was immeasurable to Chaplin, who never again found a comic villain of comparable talent and screen presence. In many ways, "The Adventurer" was Chaplin’s farewell to the art of the two-reeler (the subsequent First National shorts pale by comparison). After the Mutual contract ended, he produced longer and more expressive films; however, few of those later efforts would recapture the exuberance and self-assuredness of that glorious 18-month period.

[Freddie Sanborn]

This is a good a place as any to mention “Chaplin’s Vintage Year: The History of the Chaplin-Mutual Comedies” by my friend Michael J. Hayde. This has to be the last word on the making of these dozen mini-masterpieces and their long and twisting afterlife.

[Paul Pain]

A non-stop slam-bang comedy fest ends Charlie Chaplin's run at Mutual.  THE ADVENTURER may not feature too much in the way the title suggests, but it also appears that there are missing bits scattered throughout this one as there are a couple sudden jumps.

It's hard to decide which chase scene is more epic, but both have epic transitions on both sides of them.  Chaplin takes the style later used by the Three Stooges most often: the chase never ends, and we quietly fade out on the humor brought by it.

Another classic cast of characters is here for this one, and the chemistry these actors shared may be unmatched in any comedian/comedy team series of shorts.  THE ADVENTURER never fails to keep you entertained even if it has none of the pathos or atmosphere of THE IMMIGRANT or EASY STREET.

There wasn't a dud among these 12!

[metaldams]

A non-stop slam-bang comedy fest ends Charlie Chaplin's run at Mutual.  THE ADVENTURER may not feature too much in the way the title suggests, but it also appears that there are missing bits scattered throughout this one as there are a couple sudden jumps.

It's hard to decide which chase scene is more epic, but both have epic transitions on both sides of them.  Chaplin takes the style later used by the Three Stooges most often: the chase never ends, and we quietly fade out on the humor brought by it.

Another classic cast of characters is here for this one, and the chemistry these actors shared may be unmatched in any comedian/comedy team series of shorts.  THE ADVENTURER never fails to keep you entertained even if it has none of the pathos or atmosphere of THE IMMIGRANT or EASY STREET.

There wasn't a dud among these 12!

I noticed there was a part where Edna and Chaplin were about to engage indoors followed by a sudden jump where they’re outdoors with Eric Campbell facing in the opposite direction.  Yes, it does lead me to believe perhaps something is missing.

[Umbrella Sam]

Well, chases are always great ways to end comedies, so it seems fitting that Chaplin’s final Mutual film is bookended by two great chase sequences. The speed of the chases is fantastic; I love how Chaplin is constantly back and forth between the two floors in the ending chase, constantly jumping off the ledge. I also really like in the first one how he keeps trying to go down this slope and every time, he runs into a police officer who just happens to be going in that direction.

As far as drama, obviously the part in the water is some fairly heavier stuff. What’s probably most surprising is the part where Chaplin passes out after rescuing Eric Campbell the second time. I don’t know, it kind of felt a bit out of place given how the rest of the short is pretty much lighthearted throughout, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. You still get some comedy in having him try to help the cowardly Campbell. And, yes, having him shove the mother to the side is also hysterical.

The party stuff works for the most part. Highlights for me include Chaplin diverting Edna’s attention way every time he kicks Eric Campbell and his drawing over the newspaper. Good stuff, but the big drawing attractions here are the chases and, again, they’re done very well. Another fun short and a good way to end the Mutual discussions.

[HomokHarcos]

The chase scenes were a lot of fun, my favorite part of the short. Being a convict and in those prison clothes and trying to get away is quite dangerous, but comedic also. I also like the filming site, it looks like a place you'd expect a prison to be near.

I really like the newspaper gag in the other section. It's funny how the people at the party can get fooled by that, it's so cartoony and brilliant. Escaping prison and living a rich lifestyle is one great turnaround, but it doesn't end too well for him as the chase continues.

That puts an end to a very strong period of Chaplin's run with Mutual.