One A.M. (1916)

A drunken homeowner has a difficult time getting about in his home after arriving home late at night.

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin

Stars:

Charles Chaplin, Albert Austin

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Chaplin	...	Drunk
Albert Austin	...	Taxi Driver

Storyline

Drunk as a skunk, Charlie arrives home by taxi after a wild night out, only to realise that he has lost his key. Now, as an open window becomes the entrance, practically every single item or piece of furniture--including a possessed Murphy bed--becomes a formidable and insurmountable obstacle standing in his way, and working against him. Can't a man find peace at 1 o'clock in the morning?

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Plot Keywords:

striking a match | entering through a window | exiting through a window | water | fish | 

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Taglines:

Charlie knows it's only 1 o'clock, for he heard the clock strike one several times. (Print Ad-Duluth Herald, ((Duluth, Minn.)) 12 August 1916)

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Short

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Certificate:

TV-G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Artie Shaw and Bunny Berigan play on the 1934 Van Beuren reissue soundtrack.

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Goofs

Despite the title, it is clearly daytime when Chaplin arrives home in a cab.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Drunk: [title card] They should build these handles nearer the door.

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Alternate Versions

Kino International distributes a set of videos containing all the 12 Mutual short films made by Chaplin in 1915 - 1917. They are presented by David Shepard, who copyrighted the versions in 1984, and has a music soundtrack composed and performed by Michael Mortilla who copyrighted his score in 1989. The running time of this film is 22 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in The Thanhouser Studio and the Birth of American Cinema (2014)

User Reviews

Gorgeous in its simplicity.

Chaplin plays at one a.m. a wealthy man coming home. After a drinking night, he finds an obstacle in his way to getting to bed. Chaplin performs a hilarious one-man show in this famous slapstick short, showing not only his comedy ability but also his incredible creativity in his interaction with each prop and inch of the set. Gorgeous in its simplicity.

Details

Official Sites:

Instagram

Country:

USA

Language:

None English

Release Date:

7 August 1916 (USA)

Also Known As:

Solo

Filming Locations:

Lone Star Studio - 1751 Glendale Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lone Star Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

26 min 22 min (TCM print) 24 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1