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Work

  • 19151915
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 29m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Work (1915)
  • Comedy
  • Short
Charlie and his boss have difficulties just getting to the house they are going to wallpaper. The householder is angry because he can't get breakfast and his wife is screaming at the maid as... Read allCharlie and his boss have difficulties just getting to the house they are going to wallpaper. The householder is angry because he can't get breakfast and his wife is screaming at the maid as they arrive. The kitchen gas stove explodes, and Charlie offers to fix it. The wife's sec... Read allCharlie and his boss have difficulties just getting to the house they are going to wallpaper. The householder is angry because he can't get breakfast and his wife is screaming at the maid as they arrive. The kitchen gas stove explodes, and Charlie offers to fix it. The wife's secret lover arrives and is passed off as the workers' supervisor, but the husband doesn't bu... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
  • Writer
    • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Charles Chaplin
    • Billy Armstrong(uncredited)
    • Marta Golden(uncredited)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
  • Writer
    • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Charles Chaplin
    • Billy Armstrong(uncredited)
    • Marta Golden(uncredited)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 12User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos42

    Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin in Work (1915)
    Billy Armstrong, Marta Golden, and Leo White in Work (1915)
    Charles Inslee in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin and Billy Armstrong in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, and Leo White in Work (1915)
    Billy Armstrong in Work (1915)
    Billy Armstrong, Marta Golden, Edna Purviance, and Leo White in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance in Work (1915)
    Charles Chaplin in Work (1915)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charles Chaplin
    Charles Chaplin
    • Izzy A. Wake's Assistantas Izzy A. Wake's Assistant
    Billy Armstrong
    Billy Armstrong
    • The Husbandas The Husband
    • (uncredited)
    Marta Golden
    • The Wifeas The Wife
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Inslee
    Charles Inslee
    • Izzy A. Wake - Paperhangeras Izzy A. Wake - Paperhanger
    • (uncredited)
    Paddy McGuire
    Paddy McGuire
    • The Plasterbeareras The Plasterbearer
    • (uncredited)
    Edna Purviance
    Edna Purviance
    • Maidas Maid
    • (uncredited)
    Leo White
    Leo White
    • The Secret Loveras The Secret Lover
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
    • Writer
      • Charles Chaplin(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Charlie and his boss have difficulties just getting to the house they are going to wallpaper. The householder is angry because he can't get breakfast and his wife is screaming at the maid as they arrive. The kitchen gas stove explodes, and Charlie offers to fix it. The wife's secret lover arrives and is passed off as the workers' supervisor, but the husband doesn't buy this and fires shots. The stove explodes violently, destroying the house. —Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
    • slapstick comedy
    • maid
    • wagon
    • extramarital affair
    • cuckold
    • 4 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Short
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was one of several Chaplin comedies scheduled to be shown at the New-York Historical Society in September of 2001. In the wake of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, however, this film and one other, Dough and Dynamite, were pulled from the program, because each one ends with Charlie emerging from the rubble of a destroyed building.
    • Alternate versions
      Footage shot for this film was later used in Triple Trouble (1918), a patchwork film compiled by Essanay after Chaplin had left the studio.
    • Connections
      Edited into Nitrato d'argento (1996)

    User reviews12

    Review
    Top review
    Among the Better of Chaplin's Earlier Comedies
    "Work" is among the better of Chaplin's early comedies. It has a humorous situation that sets up some good comedy, and a good assortment of material. The story has Charlie as a paper-hanger, going with his supervisor to do a job in a home that already has enough problems. It does squander some screen time on material that isn't very funny, but then there are some very good moments that make up for it. There are also a couple of good subtle gags along with the more obvious physical comedy. It's the kind of setup that in later years Chaplin could have used to make a real classic. Here, it's unrefined, but it's still good entertainment. If you like Chaplin's earlier, less polished comedies, you should find this one worth a look.
    helpful•5
    2
    • Snow Leopard
    • Oct 4, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 21, 1915 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Instagram
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Charlie the Decorator
    • Filming locations
      • San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production company
      • The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      29 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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