A Night in the Show (1915)

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (writer)

Release Date:

20 November 1915 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Mr. Pest tries several theatre seats before winding up in front in a fight with the conductor. He is thrown out...

Plot Keywords:

Fire Eater | Snake | Pie In The Face | Hose | Snake Charmer

Cast

Charles Chaplin	...	Mr. Pest and Mr. Rowdy
Edna Purviance	...	Lady in the Stalls with Beads
Charlotte Mineau	...	Lady in the Stalls
Dee Lampton	...	Fat Boy
Leo White	...	Frenchman / Negro in Balcony
Wesley Ruggles	...	Second Man in BalconyFront Row
John Rand	...	Orchestra Conductor
James T. Kelley	...	Trombone Player and Singer
Paddy McGuire	...	Feather Duster / Clarinet Player
May White	...	Fat Lady and Snake Charmer
Phyllis Allen	...	Lady in Audience
Fred Goodwins	...	Gentleman in Audience
Charles Inslee	...	Tuba Player

Also Known As:

A Night at the Show
Charlie at the Show

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min | Spain:29 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Spain:T

Company:

Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, The

Trivia:

Based on a famous comedy act called "Mummingbirds" in which Charles Chaplin starred when he was a player with The Karno Company in England.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the snake charmer is near Mr Rowdy, you can see she is barefoot. But, a shot after, she is wearing low heeled boots.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Chaplin Today: The Circus (2003) (TV)

Brilliant, complete early Chaplin.

If you're in the right frame of mind for it, "A Night at the Show" is Charlie Chaplin at his slapstick best. I like my early Chaplin tipsy, abusive, mischievous, amorous, and a little put off by the world around him, and he's all of these things in this one. He's also two characters.

Mr. Rowdy (Chaplin) is an abusive drunk with an overblown mischievous streak. We learn little about him, and he's there for the laughs he provides. He does provide them, and one can imagine that he was just a fun character to play.

Mr. Pest (Chaplin), on the other hand, has the universe revolving around him. Everyone else in the theater is there for his amusement, and it strained credulity a little bit – which is fine – that he wasn't just thrown out of the place.

The show which Chaplin attends is intolerable until Chaplin takes matters into his own hands. Some people in the audience, you'll feel, deserve to be smacked, and of course, they are knocked around by a master.

I'm a big fan of his Keystone stuff, but "A Night at the Show" is Chaplin freed at Essanay. The world is his oyster, and he sups on seafood. It's a blast!