Behind the Screen (1916)

US 23m, B&W, Silent
Director: Charlie Chaplin; Cast: Charlie Chaplin, Eric Campbell, Edna Purviance

Behind the Screen is a satirical look at the early days of movie making seen through the eyes of an overworked stagehand during a workers strike. Taking advantage of the opportunity that the strike presents, an aspiring actress masquerades as a male labourer to infiltrate the studio. While many of the film’s comedic moments are slapstick, relying various movie props, such as Charlie’s one arm piano carry, the film’s best moments are delivered as situational comedy, such as the scene where Chaplin kisses Purviance while she is dressed as a man (Klaus Ming March 2019).

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