(Spoiler warning)
The unsung star of many of Chaplin's best silent films has to be Edna Purviance. She and Chaplin shared a chemistry that, to be honest, was superior to all other on-screen pairings Chaplin enjoyed either in his silent era, or later sound films. And that includes Paulette Goddard and Claire Bloom.
Behind the Screen doesn't showcase Edna per se - she only appears in maybe 5 minutes of it - but she nearly steals the scene as a wannabe actress who disguises herself as a male stagehand in order to break into show business. Of course it doesn't take long for Charlie (here playing David to Eric Campbell's burly Goliath) to see through the disguise. Mere moments later, he and Edna are smooching up a storm, leading to one of the funniest moments in all of Chaplin's silents when Campbell's character catches the two, thinks they're gay, then starts "flying" around the room. Yes, it's politically incorrect and yes, no one could get away with such a joke today. But this was 1916 and no one cared. It was just a joke ... and a very funny one.
Edna's best scene is when Charlie discovers her sitting alone, strumming a guitar and singing. It's a very brief moment, but you can tell from how it's filmed that Chaplin did indeed care about showcasing his favorite co-star.
The rest of the film is a fast moving look behind the scenes at a movie studio, and features a rapid fire succession of gags, including the inevitable pie-throwing battle. An unexpectedly violent ending (played for laughs but nonetheless probably fatal for those involved) leaves a strange aftertaste, but otherwise this is an example of Chaplin hitting his stride during his very productive middle-period of silent films. Highly recommended both for fans and for those curious about the appeal of Edna Purviance.
The unsung star of many of Chaplin's best silent films has to be Edna Purviance. She and Chaplin shared a chemistry that, to be honest, was superior to all other on-screen pairings Chaplin enjoyed either in his silent era, or later sound films. And that includes Paulette Goddard and Claire Bloom.
Behind the Screen doesn't showcase Edna per se - she only appears in maybe 5 minutes of it - but she nearly steals the scene as a wannabe actress who disguises herself as a male stagehand in order to break into show business. Of course it doesn't take long for Charlie (here playing David to Eric Campbell's burly Goliath) to see through the disguise. Mere moments later, he and Edna are smooching up a storm, leading to one of the funniest moments in all of Chaplin's silents when Campbell's character catches the two, thinks they're gay, then starts "flying" around the room. Yes, it's politically incorrect and yes, no one could get away with such a joke today. But this was 1916 and no one cared. It was just a joke ... and a very funny one.
Edna's best scene is when Charlie discovers her sitting alone, strumming a guitar and singing. It's a very brief moment, but you can tell from how it's filmed that Chaplin did indeed care about showcasing his favorite co-star.
The rest of the film is a fast moving look behind the scenes at a movie studio, and features a rapid fire succession of gags, including the inevitable pie-throwing battle. An unexpectedly violent ending (played for laughs but nonetheless probably fatal for those involved) leaves a strange aftertaste, but otherwise this is an example of Chaplin hitting his stride during his very productive middle-period of silent films. Highly recommended both for fans and for those curious about the appeal of Edna Purviance.