The Tramp (1915)

The birth of an icon

The Tramp is a Charlie Chaplin short featuring his iconic tramp character.  Charlie walking penniless down a dusty road, saves a young woman from three evil hobos.  In gratitude, the woman's father gives him a job on his farm.  Eventually, the evil hobos return looking to rob the farm.  Will Charlie save the day?  And will he get the girl?

Okay, NOW I get it.

The first Chaplin movie I watched, Kid Auto Races at Venice, was basically one gag repeated over and over again.  The saving grace of that movie was its brevity.

Here Chaplin gives us a character.  The tramp is someone who can't help but do the right thing.  He's Bugs Bunny and the rest of us are Elmer Fudd.  He's going to get away no matter what.  And he's going to have fun doing it.

The comedy in this is nothing remarkable for a modern audience.  It's very slapstick.  Chaplin does exactly what you expect when he picks up a pitchfork or a mallet.  The timing of the comedy was very good and despite knowing what beats the film was going to hit, I found myself laughing.  What the cast does with som bags of flour and a ladder is great.

I have not been tracking, but I believe this is my first film without title cards.  The movie is completely dependent on Chaplin's physicality and he does not disappoint.

SPOILER! I can't leave the review without mentioning the last shot. Everything you need to know about the Tramp get explained in about ten seconds.  After stepping aside at the end of the movie so the daughter can be with her boyfriend, a depressed Chaplin walks down the same dusty road he started on.  He pauses for a second, then suddenly breaks into a joyful dance.  Beyond being iconic, the moment shows the audience this is someone who can shrug off even the saddest circumstances with a smile.  I know the character evolves in later movies.  I cannot wait to experience it.

Watched on YouTube
Picture from philposner.com