A Dog's Life (1918)

The Little Tramp and his dog companion struggle to survive in the inner city.

Director:

Charles Chaplin (uncredited)

Writer:

Charles Chaplin

Stars:

Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Dave Anderson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Chaplin	...	Tramp

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

wallet | dog | dance hall | tramp | police | 

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Taglines:

In his First Million Dollar Picture

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Genres:

Short | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 April 1918 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Dog's Life

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

33 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) (1959 re-issue) Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The dog in this film, Scraps (real name Mut), became so attached to Charles Chaplin during filming that when Chaplin went on a Liberty Bond tour immediately after production, the dog died three weeks later of a supposed broken heart.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)

User Reviews

master of comic timing

By the time he made `A Dog's Life', Charlie Chaplin was already a master of cinematic comic timing. Editing techniques had not developed to the point at which they would be much help to Chaplin's physical comedy gags, so laughs required expertly handled choreography. Chaplin must have rehearsed countless takes to get each scene just right. The incredible opening sequence, seemingly shot all in one take, is particularly amazing. Chaplin and his fellow actors synchronize their movements perfectly so that, no matter what action they undertake, they always arrive on opposite sides of the fence at the exact same moment. Additionally, they make each movement at a natural pace so that, rehearsed though they may be, their motions always seem spontaneous and believable. You never get the sense that Chaplin or the policemen are speeding up or slowing down.

Rating: 6.5