Charlot rentre tard

In 1916 the Mutual Films company released eight Chaplin pictures, highlighting a marked decrease in his output but also a marked increase in the quality. This was a theme that was to continue throughout the rest of his career, as the following year he would release half as many again, though with increased results. Come the mid 20s and Chaplin's down to just one feature every three to five years, though most of them classics.

As for the Mutual output in 1916, then despite the increased artistry, many of them are still a couple of steps away from "Chaplin as genius". Indeed, while well staged, shorts like "The Floorwalker" and "The Fireman" are really just an extended series of people being kicked repeatedly up the backside. One A.M breaks that mould, an upturn in quality that would continue into the equally brilliant "The Pawnbroker" and "The Rink" two more shorts that would showcase Chaplin as a tremendously gifted acrobat. "Behind The Screen" was another upturn in quality from this run, a film that combined a witty deconstruction of the slapstick genre along with a daring gay gag, quite shocking for 1916. But it was the stunts that were most notable for the year - if not quite death-defying, then certainly serious injury defying.

One A.M. is another foray into Chaplin doing a non-Tramp character, this time a drunken aristocrat. While Charlie's immense physical gifts can be seen in most of the films of the age, many of them are of a type, in particular him falling backwards onto his shoulder blades. By marked contrast, then many of the stunts seen in One A.M. are truly extraordinary, combining both substantial physical danger along with witty innovation. A virtual solo piece, it's basically one joke extended for twenty minutes, yet it's a very good joke given enormous invention and considerable charm. A stand out of the year that culminated in the classic "The Rink".

One of Charlie Chaplin's many short comedies, "One A.M." is essentially a one-man show, and while it is purely slapstick-oriented without any of the depth of Chaplin's later films, it's pretty good. Except for a brief appearance by a cab driver at the beginning, Charlie is on-screen alone for the entire film, as a man returning home after a night of carousing. All he wants to do is go to bed, but before he can go to bed, he has to get up the stairs, and before he can get up the stairs, he has to get inside the house - but in Charlie's condition, each step is fraught with peril.

The film starts somewhat slowly, but gets funnier as it goes along. Chaplin shows off not just his comic timing, but his acrobatic skills as well - some of the stunts are pretty impressive. While this is certainly not one of his best, it's worth watching.

Another amusing skit, this time with Charlie Chaplin flying solo as a drunk stumbling his way through his home in the wee hours of the morning as he tries to make his way to bed. While Chaplin is definitely one of my favorite silent era stars, this short didn't seem up to par with some of his other films. It almost seemed to drag for a couple minutes. It was amusing, no doubt. It just wasn't as fun as some of his other films, when he is given the chance to play off the supporting characters. We are treated to some good bits in this run (particularly his bout with the fold-out bed). His brand of physical situation comedy was enough to bring some laughs out of me, just less than he has before.

There isn't really a whole lot one can say about Chaplin's early films, seeing as how technologically they didn't have a whole lot to work with, and storyline isn't an issue when we're looking at twenty minutes of slapstick entertainment. So, the only real aspect to look at in his movies, specifically this one, is: is it funny? If you're looking for a couple good chuckles, this movie delivers but keep in mind this is not his strongest short. While that may be the case, it is still an entertaining 20 minute dose of Charlie and well worth checking out for any fan of the comedy legend.

This short film numbers among Chaplin's best, and is a stunning example of his skill as a silent physical comedic actor. However, one has to enjoy silent, completely non-verbal, comedy in the first place. While I laughed almost non-stop through this entire film, close friends of mine, who were not entertained by Chaplin's physical gaffes, quickly lost interest.

Chaplin plays a drunk who spends the entire film trying to get into his house and go to bed. In a comedic experiment, Chaplin appears alone in this film, aside from Albert Austin, who briefly appears at the beginning as a cab driver. Chaplin draws the humor from his interaction with various objects around the house, most humorously with a hostile Murphy bed. Is this comic experiment successful? Yes, for the most part. It is a funny short, but, in my opinion, nowhere near his funniest. Still, one must admire Chaplin's boldness. When one watches this film, one sees a talented film maker testing the limits of skills. Bravo.