Easy Street is the ninth film Chaplin edited, wrote, directed, and produced for the Mutual Film Corporation. Chaplin attempts to combine slapstick with social commentary in this film. For the most part, he's successful, but the film just isn't as funny as other Mutual films. Chaplin finds salvation at a religious revival and becomes a policeman. Yet he's not so coincidentally dressed as a Keystone cop, and we know we're in for some fast-paced comedy. The streets are ruled by bully Eric Campbell, who once again serves as Chaplin's foil. Edna Purviance is the religious girl Chaplin saves from a drug fiend en route to cleaning up the neighborhood. There are many moments in the film that are equally comic as well as social commentary. The lack of respect for law and order, justifying stealing from sleeping shopkeepers, and the inevitable conclusion that order and respect trumps disorder and chaos. The highlights of the film involve Chaplin's attempts to subdue Eric Campbell, first with a gas lamppost and then with an end table through an open window. The film is generally recognized as Chaplin's most well known or best from his Mutual period, but I feel that other films like The Pawnbroker and One AM are more comically inventive and funny. This was one of Chaplin's first films to utilize social commentary. **1/2 of 4 stars.
Plot summary
A derelict, huddled under the steps of a missionary church, feels enlightened by the sermon of a passionate preacher and infatuated by the beauty of the congregation's pianist, in such a way that he tries to improve his life of poverty by becoming a policeman. His first assignment will be to patrol along Easy Street, the turf of a vicious bully and his criminal gang.
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February 23, 2024 at 08:28 PM
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Chaplin Cleans Up Streets in Easy Street
Deserves its recognition
"Easy Street" is a 24-minute short movie from 1917. So it soon has its 100th birthday. 1917 was a time in Charlie's career when not only Edna Purviance was a regular in his movies playing the love interest usually, but also Eric Campbell was usually in these playing the main antagonist to Chaplin's character. And not only the difference in size makes Chaplin and Campbell such a successful duo, it's also the way they elevate the other's material. This film here may be the best example. Chaplin is so much better when he is not just a one-man show, but actually gives some screen time to other characters as well, because they are needed to make it a better story. Of course, Chaplin was the biggest movie star at that point, but you can't have a great story with one person bringing slapstick comedy from start to finish and sadly this is what Chaplin did in many of his films. However, this one is not among them and yet it is lots of fun to watch Chaplin as a police officer. One of his best and this one was made near the end of Chaplin's short film career. recommended.
Entertaining, but not among Chaplin's best
Entertaining, but not among Chaplin's best.
Interesting plot: the Tramp becomes a policeman! (It could happen...). From here many adventures ensue.
Has the usual Chaplin slapstick and sight gags but also has some darker themes: bullying, abuse of power, power-madness, instant fame and even drug abuse (though here it appears more of an advert for drugs - it was 1917 I guess, so they didn't know better).
However, it is not as powerful, clever or laugh-a-minute as Chaplin's later stuff. Chaplin's gags seem less well thought-out and more about cheap laughs here. I guess he was still honing his craft and exploring his own boundaries.
Good performances. Eric Campbell is scary as the bully, he of the fearsome eyebrows.