Keystone Time #1

It's time to take a look at one of the most successful studios of the silent era, The Keystone Studio, and it's films.

Our first film today is The Water Nymph. Released in 1912, this was the first film the studio released. Mack Sennett started his career at the Biograph Studio, a studio founded by D.W. Griffith himself. D.W. Griffith never understood comedy, and because of this Mack Sennett never fully got to be himself as a filmmaker. This is one of the main reasons Mack Sennett founded the Keystone Studio. Sennett directed this film himself, it was somewhat a remake of a film he had made at Biograph in 1911 called The Diving Girl. However The Water Nymph is much rowdier and more comedic than the previous short. This film stars Sennett, Mabel Normand (who was also in The Diving Girl), and Ford Sterling. The beautiful and talented Mabel Normand in her one piece bathing suit, would later give birth to Mack Sennett's bathing beauties, a later staple of Keystone films.  It is hard to understand today, why this film was so revolutionary, but 1912 audiences had never seen such a mixture of slapstick and sex (tame compared to modern films) on the movie screen before.  However this does not stop it from being quite entertaining still.

Many stars got their start in films at the Keystone studios, including W.C. Feilds, Fatty Arbuckle, Ben Trupin, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd, Marie Dressler and Charlie Chaplin. One of Chaplin's best films from his time at Keystone was our next short, Dough and Dynamite. Released in 1914, Chaplin's first year in films, it is obvious that his own style of comedy was already becoming evident. This film has no trouble taking it's time and slowing down the pace to make the slapstick even funnier, something that was not evident at all in his first few films at Keystone. This film was directed by Charlie Chaplin, and written by Mack Sennett. Chaplin did not start of directing his own films, but he became increasing unhappy with his directors to the point where he asked if he could direct his own films. After this he would very rarely star in any film that wasn't directed by himself.

Next we are going to look at an early film for a group that Keystone is highly associated with

Keystone, and this was the Keystone Cops. The Keystone Cops first appearance had been in a 1912 film called Hoffmeyer's Legacy, but this film is still often called their first film, and it was the one that popularized the team. Despite popular belief the cops were hardly ever the stars of their films. Like Mighty Mouse would later they usually didn't even appear until near the end of the films. This film's real star is Mabel Normand instead. The lineup for the Keystone Cops would often change from film to film, here they are played by Fred Mace, Charles Avery, Rube Miller, Edgar Kennedy,  Jack Leonard, and Fred Happ. This film is directed by Henry Lehrman who was one of the most prolific Keystone directors. So from 1913, here is Bangville Police.

Our last film tonight is one of the classic Mack Sennett produced shorts staring Harry Langdon. It is Soldier Man from 1926. Langdon was in his prime at this time, and he already had his trusty crew behind him. This crew included director, Harry Edwards, and writers Arthur Ripley and Frank Capra (yes the Frank Capra who later directed It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). Also playing a supporting role is someone who would be very familiar to my fellow Three Stooges watchers, actor Vernon Dent, who appeared in quite a few films with Langdon at this time. What is also very interesting about this film is that it's opening scenes are quite similar with those that opened the latter Laurel and Hardy feature Blockheads. What makes that interesting is that Harry Langdon would be a writer for that film. Anyway this is a very funny short that shows just how great the team of Langon, Edwards, Capra, and Ripley could be at their best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dslimUlfdgw

-Michael J. Ruhland

Charlie Chaplin Carnival #2

We are going to start our second look at Chaplin's work with an early Keystone short from 1914. This film was directed by Mabel Normand (one of the forgotten greats of silent comedy). Chaplin and her did not see eye to eye on comedy. Mabel and Charlie's arguments got so heated that Mack Sennet (Boss at Keystone) considered firing Chaplin. However Sennet got messages asking for more Chaplin shorts, so he couldn't fire Charlie. He instead tried to patch thing up between director and actor. It worked and the film turned out to be a quite enjoyable one. However, in hindsight, you can see where this film differs for Chaplin's sense of comedy. The character he plays here makes it seem like Charlie is doing an imitation of Ford Sterling (leader of the Keystone Kops). The next film with Chaplin would be "Twenty Minutes of Love", which would mark the first time Charlie would direct himself. So from 1914, here is "Mabel At The Wheel".

Before his film career Charlie Chaplin was a part of the Karno Company (Along with Stan Laurel), an English comedy group that performed on stage. One of their most popular skits was called Mumming Birds. In 1915 Chaplin starred in, wrote and directed a film version of this skit, entitled "A Night in the Show", and here it is.

Last for this look at Chaplin is the film that he considered his best short. This is also his last short film (The Pilgrim is technically a feature). While it is hard to say whether or not this is his best short (Some of his other shorts are just too good to say that for sure). This is also a completely comedic film with no drama. While this may seem normal for comedy films, Chaplin was at this time excelling in combining comedy and drama, so it is a bit strange that he would make this film at this time. However funny is funny regardless of drama, and this is a really funny film. So from 1922, and directed by Chaplin himself, here is Pay Day.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Charlie Chaplin Carnivial #1

We are going to start our look at Charlie Chaplin today with the 2nd film staring him, Kid Auto Races at Venice. When Keystone Film Company got a hold of Chaplin, they didn't quite know what to do with him. The first film with him, Making A Living(1914), was artistically a huge failure. The film simply wasn't funny. So what Keystone decided to do was to visit a soapbox racing event for children, and let Chaplin purposely interrupt the filming, letting Charlie improvise how he interrupts it, and hoping something funny would happen. This film was also the first in which Chaplin wore his immortal costume, that would soon be recognized as his Little Tramp character. While this film unsurprisingly does not have the polish later Charlie Chaplin films would , it still remains quite entertaining today. From 1914 and directed by Henry Lehrman, here is Kid Auto Races at Venice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyVu8fx36j4

Twenty Minutes of Love marked the first time Mack Sennet, head of Keystone Film Company, allowed Charlie Chaplin to direct his own films. While Chaplin would later try to get away from, the slapstick for the sake of slapstick, style of humor of Keystone by creating more motivation for the slapstick, here he plays by the rules of the Keystone style of comedy. This is a fast, fun, and purely slapstick short. From 1914, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring  Minta Durfee, Edgar Kennedy,  Gordon Griffith, Chester Conklin, Josef Swickard and Hank Mann, here is Twenty Minutes of Love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ5sShqrJcQ

Next comes one of Charlie Chaplin's great masterpieces, A Dogs Life. This film was Chaplin's first film for Frist National. You will notice in here a strong break from the type of humor at Keystone. The pace is slower, and all the jokes come from the story and characters, and have clear motivations. You will also notice the story line is more defined and there is drama present. Chaplin wanted to show that comedy and drama could be combined, and he proved his point masterfully. Here we can see Chaplin as a fully formed artist in this true cinematic masterpiece. From 1918, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring Chaplin's long time costar Edna Purviance, and Charlie's brother Sydney Chaplin, here is A Dog's Life.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oqCepIkqc

Charlie Chaplin's films were rightfully sensations world wide, and  he was one of the first filmmakers to be hailed as a great artist. Therefore the image of the Little Tramp appeared everywhere. His image could be seen in a comic strip in the newspaper, toys, animated cartoons (done by Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivian, two artist who would bring us the silent Felix the Cat cartoons)  and anywhere else you can think. Actors such as Billy West (not to be confused with the cartoon voice actor) made a career imitating Chaplin in films. One of my favorite uses of the Little Tramp outside of Chaplin's own films is the appearance of an cubist animated tramp appearing in the classic French Avant-Garde film, Ballet Mecanique. Besides the animated appearance of Chaplin's Little Tramp there is much more this film offers. It is also a brilliant representation of the struggle of humanity against the attack of mechanization. In fact this film is such an artistic success that co-director  Fernand Leger, considered giving up his highly successful painting job to become a film maker. Sadly for the  world of film this never happened, but at least we have this artistic masterpiece. So from 1924, and directed by Fernand Leger, and Dudley Murphy, here is Ballet Mecanique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QV9-l-rXOE

-Michael J. Ruhland