The Idle Class

A great scene in the film is when the HUSBAND has his back to the screen so you can't tell when he is actually doing. To some it looks like he is crying until he turns around to face the camera. In fact, the drunk HUSBAND is mixing himself a martini in his glass shaker. Just one of many situations where Chaplin plays with the audience.

A train arrives at the depot with a range of passengers – from the rich down to a tramp of few means. One rich woman has asked her husband to collect her at the station but his terrible forgetfulness means he does not. All three of them head to the members-only golf club, although the tramp is not strictly invited. He causes confusion and trouble on the greens, while his more than passing resemblance to the rich woman's husband causes plenty trouble at the masquerade ball that evening.

As part of broadening my cinema experience I spent an afternoon checking in with screenings of a few Chaplin feature films and shorts and The Idle Class was one of the latter. Having just watched A Day's Pleasure and finding it amusing, I expected more of the same from Idle Class but actually this film was much funnier. The plot is not really important until the tramp and husband come together in the final scene and up till then it is just one perfectly timed and choreographed piece of confusion after another. The golf course fights were my favourite but the ball itself is pretty funny. As usual Chaplin's performance is quite brilliant, putting so much into his face and physical comedy that really you never thing words as missing so much as superfluous. The support cast of regulars such as Purviance, Swain, Bergman and a few others all put in solid work with well-exaggerated physical deliveries that compliment the subtle performance from Chaplin.

Overall a real delight. Consistently funny with plenty to laugh about.

This Chaplin short opens promising enough with elegant Edna Purviance arriving at the station tres elegante simultaneously with The Tramp falling out of a dust bin setting the stage for the his entrance into high society. But first he must put in a round of golf. While he brings his clubs he neglects to bring a ball. Meanwhile Edna's alchholic husband, also played by Chaplin forgets to pick her as well as his pants up.

This Chaplin lacks the energy and tightness of his usual short. Playing dual roles he comes up with some excellent bits making nice use of the sport of golf but the scene which starts promisingly enough quickly becomes disjointed and overlong. The masquerade ball where his identity is mistaken for Purviance's husband also has some fun moments as Charlie attempts to explain but a scene with his other character stuck in a knights armored helmet (something Peter Sellers would refine forty years in the future) goes on too long interrupting Charlie who works best alone though the films final seconds has a subversive extra that should elicit joy from the masses.

It's summer season. The rich travel by train to a resort. Edna (Edna Purviance) arrives looking to join her husband (Charles Chaplin) who is a hopeless drunk. Also on the train, the Tramp (Charles Chaplin) arrives with the luggage under the train. The Tramp falls for Edna at first sight. During a costume party, Edna mistakes the Tramp for her husband.

I like the doppelganger idea but they need a double scene. They do have a moustachio guy in a knight's suit but that's not enough. They need to do the mirror bit along with other double gags. This starts off with a couple of great gags. The Tramp coming out of the train and the drunken pants-less husband are both terrific. After that, it's not as imaginative.

Another example of Chaplin's brilliance in film-making, this short work. Many of his favorite themes come along, such as several chases and a mix-up between him and 'the husband'(also played by Charlie). Best scenes include the one where 'the husband' reads a letter from his wife that he should drink less. We see him pick up a picture of her, then he starts shaking like he's crying... but he's just mixing another drink. That really cracked me up. The scenes on the golf course are also very funny and well-made. Then the movie slows down a bit with the ballroom-thing, but the ending is just the best: with Charlie kicking the father of 'the wife' right where he should... great scene! In short: good short Chaplin, though not up there with The Adventurer, The Tramp or Pay Day. 7/10.