Whereas the other eleven shorts Charlie Chaplin made for Mutual Films, having for the first time full artistic freedom to develop his VERY own style, all had some serious or even tragic elements in them, this last one of them (and the biggest box-office success) gives us just plain, simple comedy that reminds us of his beginnings at the Keystone Studios - only with more wit and artistic ambition; and with quite an unusual protagonist, too: Charlie (who usually wasn't on the best of terms with the police in his movies, anyway) is a convict here who, just with the beginning of that wonderful 25-minute short story, escapes from prison in the most hilarious way! (He'd do the same thing 6 years later in "The Pilgrim", but in a different style that time...)
So we see him running and hiding from the cops with his usual, inimitable movements; only not in his 'tramp' apparel this time, but in prisoner's clothes... We see a whole bunch of policemen hunting him, shooting at him, and yet ending up rolling down hills or being tricked out by the little fellow in some other way! And then - something entirely different happens: down at the beach, where he's finally found rescue, he's got to save a mother, daughter and her fiancée from drowning; and the thankful family, of course, take him to their home and dress him like a real gentleman!
And of course, our hero develops tender emotions very soon for the lovely daughter (a blonde Edna Purviance this time) and vice versa, while he and the big fat fiancée (Charlie's friend Eric Campbell at his best once again) pick on each other with every opportunity - until the jealous suitor sees Charlie's 'WANTED' picture in a newspaper... Well, from that moment on, of course, the chase continues!
So, for all those who keep accusing Charlie Chaplin of being 'too much of a sentimentalist': they should SURELY watch "The Adventurer", to see that Charlie could also be just plain funny - and INGENIOUSLY funny, for that matter! Even after almost 100 years, this wonderfully crazy, fast-paced short FULL of unbelievable ideas still looks as fresh and entertaining as the day it first reached the movie theaters!
So we see him running and hiding from the cops with his usual, inimitable movements; only not in his 'tramp' apparel this time, but in prisoner's clothes... We see a whole bunch of policemen hunting him, shooting at him, and yet ending up rolling down hills or being tricked out by the little fellow in some other way! And then - something entirely different happens: down at the beach, where he's finally found rescue, he's got to save a mother, daughter and her fiancée from drowning; and the thankful family, of course, take him to their home and dress him like a real gentleman!
And of course, our hero develops tender emotions very soon for the lovely daughter (a blonde Edna Purviance this time) and vice versa, while he and the big fat fiancée (Charlie's friend Eric Campbell at his best once again) pick on each other with every opportunity - until the jealous suitor sees Charlie's 'WANTED' picture in a newspaper... Well, from that moment on, of course, the chase continues!
So, for all those who keep accusing Charlie Chaplin of being 'too much of a sentimentalist': they should SURELY watch "The Adventurer", to see that Charlie could also be just plain funny - and INGENIOUSLY funny, for that matter! Even after almost 100 years, this wonderfully crazy, fast-paced short FULL of unbelievable ideas still looks as fresh and entertaining as the day it first reached the movie theaters!