A Night in the Show

If you're in the right frame of mind for it, "A Night at the Show" is Charlie Chaplin at his slapstick best. I like my early Chaplin tipsy, abusive, mischievous, amorous, and a little put off by the world around him, and he's all of these things in this one. He's also two characters.

Mr. Rowdy (Chaplin) is an abusive drunk with an overblown mischievous streak. We learn little about him, and he's there for the laughs he provides. He does provide them, and one can imagine that he was just a fun character to play.

Mr. Pest (Chaplin), on the other hand, has the universe revolving around him. Everyone else in the theater is there for his amusement, and it strained credulity a little bit – which is fine – that he wasn't just thrown out of the place.

The show which Chaplin attends is intolerable until Chaplin takes matters into his own hands. Some people in the audience, you'll feel, deserve to be smacked, and of course, they are knocked around by a master.

I'm a big fan of his Keystone stuff, but "A Night at the Show" is Chaplin freed at Essanay. The world is his oyster, and he sups on seafood. It's a blast!

"A Night In The Show" (1915, Chaplin) "A Night In The Show" is Charlie at his best in this early stage in his careeer. Early being his 48th overall film and 32nd directing, all within 1914 and 1915, and one of 49 in that time period. From the very beginning, the film just flows from one comedic segment into another. The beginning is rather lackluster which may only bolster the opinion of a rising laugh overall. Charlie starts trouble and adds on to future troubles all at once. All the sketches are played out with perfect timing. In the middle of the ruckus that Charlie causes as he moves around the theater is another tramp in the first seat of the aisle in the balcony. He spills beer onto the people below, throws cream puffs at a dude and a little person act, and in the grand finale, uses a fire hose to put out a fire which is part of the act on stage.

This is one of the few of these early films that could withstand repeated watching of it.

In "A Night in the Show", one of Charlie Chaplin's many short films, Charlie plays two roles as two spectators at a music-hall show. It has a few good laughs and also provides an interesting look at old-fashioned theater entertainment.

During the first part, there are some misadventures as Charlie's characters settle into their seats, with one of his characters being the kind of chronic seat-changer that we've all had to deal with. During the second part, the show begins, and the audience and the various performers compete with each other for attention.

Chaplin used a lot of comic ideas in this one, some slapstick and some more subtle. It is also very interesting as a look (though probably exaggerated) at the kind of often off-beat live entertainment that was so popular in the days before television and radio.

This is an interesting short, and worth a look.

This 1915 short comedy is much like Chaplin's last comedy Limelight as he and Buster Keaton share the final stage before his curtain call. In both scenes, Chaplin finds himself falling off and back on stage during his performance. In A Night in the Show, Chaplin introduces himself to the audience as the show. It is he who they are coming to see. Chaplin plays two characters that are both trying to win the attention of the audience. One is portraying an Artist while the other is trying to make the crowd laugh by any means necessary. Both win as the Jester and the Artist make the mob laugh and cheer for more. I consider A Night in the Show fair warning from Chaplin about what the next 40 years was going to be like.

Am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin, have been for over a decade now. Many films and shorts of his are very good to masterpiece, and like many others consider him a comedy genius and one of film's most important and influential directors.

From his Essanay period after leaving Keystone, 'A Night in the Show' (from my understanding it is indeed based on his vaudeville years with Fred Karno) is not one of his very best but is one of his best early efforts and among the better short films of his. It shows a noticeable step up in quality though from his Keystone period, where he was still evolving and in the infancy of his long career, from 1914, The Essanay period is something of Chaplin's adolescence period where his style had been found and starting to settle. Something that can be seen in the more than worthwhile 'The Bank'.

The story is still flimsy and actually one of the most lightweight ones of the Essanay period, there are times where it struggles to sustain the short length, and could have had more variety.

On the other hand, 'A Night in the Show' looks pretty good, not incredible but it was obvious that Chaplin was taking more time with his work and not churning out countless shorts in the same year of very variable success like he did with Keystone. Appreciate the importance of his Keystone period and there is some good stuff he did there, but the more mature and careful quality seen here and later on is obvious.

While not one of his most hilarious or touching, 'A Night in the Show' is still very funny with some clever, entertaining and well-timed slapstick and is one of his first to have substance and pathos after 'The Bank' and 'The Tramp'. It moves quickly and there is no dullness in sight. The ending is great fun.

Chaplin directs more than competently, if not quite cinematic genius standard yet. He also, as usual, gives an amusing and expressive performance and at clear ease with the physicality and substance of the role. The supporting cast acquit themselves well.

In summary, very good and one of the best from Chaplin's Essanay period. 8/10 Bethany Cox