Tillie's Punctured Romance is a historic film for several reasons. It was the first feature length comedy as well as Chaplin's first feature length comedy. It was Marie Dressler's film debut as well as the only film she made with Chaplin and the third lead in the film: Mabel Normand. However, the film does not hold up well over time. Mack Sennett directed and produced the film, so we know the comedy is going to be more of the same from Chaplin. There's brick-throwing when Chaplin first meets Marie Dressler and her father played by Chester Conklin. There is lots of kicking, slapping, people running around bumping into each other, and of course a Keystone cops madcap finish. The plot concerns Chaplin playing a cad who two-times both Mabel Normand and Marie Dressler while hoping to end up with a large chunk of change courtesy of Miss Dressler's rich uncle played by Charles Bennett. There are a few bits of familiar Chaplin like with the tiger rug in the mansion, but for the most part the film is beneath Chaplin's talent, and he would leave Keystone after just two more films. The film is based on the Broadway play Marie Dressler starred in as Tillie, but here in her debut, she seems to overact. Several supporting actors play several roles, and that aspect of the film makes it hard to follow in some scenes. In one scene, Chaplin loses his mustache and then it reappears again a short time later. The funniest scene in the film was Chaplin dancing a tango with the oafish Dressler. This was Chaplin's last film released by Keystone. ** of 4 stars.
Review of Tillie's Punctured Romance
