Chase Me Charlie (1918) DVD-R

Starring Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Leo White
Directed by Charles Chaplin, Langford Reed

Print: black/white
Runtime: N/A
Genre: comedy

During the 1910s, comic actor and filmmaker Charles Chaplin was without peer. He was so popular that pirated versions of his pictures were frequently pieced together and sold to exhibitors. This five-reel mish-mosh of Chaplin, however, wasn't pirated -- it was made up of several of his Essanay shorts, including His New Job, The Tramp, In the Park, Shanghaied, The Champion, and others, and Essanay itself released it. Chaplin had gone over to Mutual almost two years before the release of this compilation, but Essanay was still clearly making money from his days with them. These bits and pieces are strung together by a British editor to make a rather loose story -- pretty simple task, since Chaplin consistently used the same group of players. Edna Purviance, as always, is the girl. Charlie saves her from a hobo and her father hires him to work on his farm. When he finds out Edna has a sweetheart, Charlie goes away and becomes an actor. He can't forget Edna, however, and his persistence finally wins her. Her father, however, disapproves. Charlie becomes the janitor of a bank, meets up with his girl once again, and saves her from thieves. Finally, her father gives his consent.