'The Idle Class' is a mistaken identity comedy where Charles Chaplin plays a dual role - A lonely alcoholic husband against his Tramp. This is without competition my personal favorite Chaplin short. Maybe because this movie is a bit unusual type for Chaplin. Rather big raunchy but kicking stunts and gags 'The Idle Class' mostly consists of subtle jokes that usually have a surprising punchline.
The two plotlines are cleverly bound together - the millionaire's neglected wife (Edna Purviance) arrives at the resort. With the same train arrives The Little Tramp. We can see the wife having troubles with her husband, and we watch The Tramp's adventures at the local golf course. Both storylines are very well developed so they could have been a separate movie. In here, Chaplin as a director starts to play with the viewers' nerves - when and how these two are going to meet. Chaplin also manages to perfect both roles - he is of course at his best as The Tramp but his alcoholic millionaire is a comedic genius down to the detail.
Lonely Tramp, lonely husband, and lonely wife. If I must say that there are two Charles Chaplin's short movies you have to see, then 'The Idle Class' would be one of them.
The two plotlines are cleverly bound together - the millionaire's neglected wife (Edna Purviance) arrives at the resort. With the same train arrives The Little Tramp. We can see the wife having troubles with her husband, and we watch The Tramp's adventures at the local golf course. Both storylines are very well developed so they could have been a separate movie. In here, Chaplin as a director starts to play with the viewers' nerves - when and how these two are going to meet. Chaplin also manages to perfect both roles - he is of course at his best as The Tramp but his alcoholic millionaire is a comedic genius down to the detail.
Lonely Tramp, lonely husband, and lonely wife. If I must say that there are two Charles Chaplin's short movies you have to see, then 'The Idle Class' would be one of them.