PAY DAY (First National, 1922), produced, written and directed by Charlie Chaplin, is one of the all time great silent comedy shorts, and one of Chaplin's most infamous. Though Chaplin sports his signature oversize trousers, derby and twirling cane, he doesn't play the traditional vagabond tramp but a working man with a domineering spouse (Phyllis Allen) after his weekly pay check. There's not much of a story to it, but in true Chaplin essence, enough gags to guarantee 22 minutes of non-stop laughter.
The story introduces Charlie as a day laborer arriving late for work, close enough to lunch time. Moments after being caught sneaking in, Charlie appeases his foreman (Mack Swain) with a white lily, which doesn't impress him very much. As Charlie slowly digs a ditch, he quickly lays the bricks at a very high speed. During a lunch break, the foreman's daughter (Edna Purviance) arrives with a boxed lunch she prepared to eat with her father. Charlie's attempt to flirt with the young lady proves as unsuccessful as trying to convince the foreman on pay day that he's underpaid for his overtime. After short changing his "First National Bank" wife (Phyllis Allen) who's come to collect her husband's money, Charlie sneaks off with some take home money for an evening on the town, followed by a series of all night misadventures for the working man. Other members of the Chaplin stock players include Henry Bergman, Sydney Chaplin, Allan Garcia, John Rand and Loyal Underwood.
For Chaplin's rare venture in both the work force and domestic situations, it's hard to forget his brick laying sequence; his acquiring of food during the lunch break; disturbing the peace while singing "Sweet Adeline" with a group of drunks; and his many attempts trying to get onto various overcrowded streetcars. Even minor scenes involving cats on the kitchen table and a glimpse of the awaiting Mrs. Chaplin sound asleep while holding onto a rolling pin for her husband shows there's not a single frame wasted in PAY DAY. Everything about PAY DAY works. Everything in it is timed to perfection. As the "THE END" title hits the screen, it makes one wish for more or to know that there's even a possible sequel involving the further misadventures of husband Charlie, the working man. Though Chaplin never produced a sequel of any kind since sequels rarely compare to the originals, as original and creative as Chaplin is, more great comedies for which he starred and directed (CITY LIGHTS, MODERN TIMES) were ahead of him. PAY DAY and others like it are just perfect examples of Chaplin's proper care and perfection to what he can do to get laughs.
Unlike most of Chaplin's earlier comedy shorts made during 1914-1917, PAY DAY, along with others produced during his First National Pictures period (1919-23), were those with limited or no reissues. In fact, hardly any Chaplin's comedies from 1918-1923 were ever televised until many years after Chaplin's 1977 death. Before being readily available to home video on the centennial of Chaplin's birth (1989), those long unseen Chaplin shorts and feature length films were restored and accompanied by newly composed scores conducted by Chaplin himself. For the 1989 VHS copy of Chaplin's PAY DAY, it was preceded by his 1925 masterpiece, THE GOLD RUSH. The disadvantage of that issue is that THE GOLD RUSH was not an original print but one taken from the edited 1942 reissue with Chaplin's voice over narration in place of title cards. Fortunately the complete version of THE GOLD RUSH still exists as does PAY DAY, which turns up occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 17, 2004). For such a job well done, Chaplin's next pay day is a well deserved raise in salary. (****)
The story introduces Charlie as a day laborer arriving late for work, close enough to lunch time. Moments after being caught sneaking in, Charlie appeases his foreman (Mack Swain) with a white lily, which doesn't impress him very much. As Charlie slowly digs a ditch, he quickly lays the bricks at a very high speed. During a lunch break, the foreman's daughter (Edna Purviance) arrives with a boxed lunch she prepared to eat with her father. Charlie's attempt to flirt with the young lady proves as unsuccessful as trying to convince the foreman on pay day that he's underpaid for his overtime. After short changing his "First National Bank" wife (Phyllis Allen) who's come to collect her husband's money, Charlie sneaks off with some take home money for an evening on the town, followed by a series of all night misadventures for the working man. Other members of the Chaplin stock players include Henry Bergman, Sydney Chaplin, Allan Garcia, John Rand and Loyal Underwood.
For Chaplin's rare venture in both the work force and domestic situations, it's hard to forget his brick laying sequence; his acquiring of food during the lunch break; disturbing the peace while singing "Sweet Adeline" with a group of drunks; and his many attempts trying to get onto various overcrowded streetcars. Even minor scenes involving cats on the kitchen table and a glimpse of the awaiting Mrs. Chaplin sound asleep while holding onto a rolling pin for her husband shows there's not a single frame wasted in PAY DAY. Everything about PAY DAY works. Everything in it is timed to perfection. As the "THE END" title hits the screen, it makes one wish for more or to know that there's even a possible sequel involving the further misadventures of husband Charlie, the working man. Though Chaplin never produced a sequel of any kind since sequels rarely compare to the originals, as original and creative as Chaplin is, more great comedies for which he starred and directed (CITY LIGHTS, MODERN TIMES) were ahead of him. PAY DAY and others like it are just perfect examples of Chaplin's proper care and perfection to what he can do to get laughs.
Unlike most of Chaplin's earlier comedy shorts made during 1914-1917, PAY DAY, along with others produced during his First National Pictures period (1919-23), were those with limited or no reissues. In fact, hardly any Chaplin's comedies from 1918-1923 were ever televised until many years after Chaplin's 1977 death. Before being readily available to home video on the centennial of Chaplin's birth (1989), those long unseen Chaplin shorts and feature length films were restored and accompanied by newly composed scores conducted by Chaplin himself. For the 1989 VHS copy of Chaplin's PAY DAY, it was preceded by his 1925 masterpiece, THE GOLD RUSH. The disadvantage of that issue is that THE GOLD RUSH was not an original print but one taken from the edited 1942 reissue with Chaplin's voice over narration in place of title cards. Fortunately the complete version of THE GOLD RUSH still exists as does PAY DAY, which turns up occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 17, 2004). For such a job well done, Chaplin's next pay day is a well deserved raise in salary. (****)