Poor Charlie lives in a vacant lot. He tries to get a job but when he gets to the head of the employment line the jobs are gone. Back "home" he rescues Scraps, a bitch being attacked by other strays. Together they manage to steal some sausages from a lunch wagon. They enter a dance hall where Edna is a singer and unwilling companion to the clientele. He is thrown out when he can't pay. Back "home" Scraps digs up a money-filled wallet buried by crooks. They return to the dance hall to find Edna fired. The wallet goes back and forth between Charlie and the crooks. Charlie, Edna and Scraps end up very happily.Written by
Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
This was Charles Chaplin's first film for First National Films under a $1M contract where Chaplin had full creative control over his films for the first time. See more »
Goofs
During the fight at the lunch cart, one of the props holding up the awning gets knocked away. In subsequent shots, the prop is back in place. See more »
Let's face it : Chaplin's short films, before 1917, are not so good and funny anymore. After 1917, and waiting to make longer films, there are three films I'm really found of : The Imigrant, Shoulder Arms and A Dog's Life. I love A Dog's Life because Chaplin was never trampier than in this film. He's poor, miserable, probably dirty! He really looks like a real tramp! So is his dog! The dog is simply wonderful in this film!
Funny gags all the way. I'm mad about a scene in the café, when Edna Purviance sings a very sad song and makes everybody's crying. In my version, on video, they put some strange music while she sings, like a saw sound. It's a very funny sounds effect for the image of miss Purviance! The story is very sample and warm. This is Chaplin's shorts at his best!
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Let's face it : Chaplin's short films, before 1917, are not so good and funny anymore. After 1917, and waiting to make longer films, there are three films I'm really found of : The Imigrant, Shoulder Arms and A Dog's Life. I love A Dog's Life because Chaplin was never trampier than in this film. He's poor, miserable, probably dirty! He really looks like a real tramp! So is his dog! The dog is simply wonderful in this film!
Funny gags all the way. I'm mad about a scene in the café, when Edna Purviance sings a very sad song and makes everybody's crying. In my version, on video, they put some strange music while she sings, like a saw sound. It's a very funny sounds effect for the image of miss Purviance! The story is very sample and warm. This is Chaplin's shorts at his best!