Chaplin's The Pawnshop was the sixth film he edited, wrote, directed, and produced for the Mutual Film Corporation in 1916. It's another one of his occupational comedies. This time Chaplin plays a shopkeeper's assistant who tries to stay busy in front of the boss while battling with a co-worker. Like many of his Mutual films, this one contains a lot of energy and some highly inventive sight gags. Chaplin begins by destroying a feather-duster in an electric fan. He follows that up with trying to bring a long step ladder outside while fending off his antagonistic co-worker. The athleticism and physicality of the stunts with the ladder recall some of Buster Keaton's finest moments. Chaplin continues feuding with his co-worker while waiting on customers in between. The gag with the "poor" guy selling his wife's wedding ring is a classic bit repeated many times since. Chaplin then tries to assess an alarm clock as if he was a surgeon before rejecting it. This is one of the funniest bits. In between he has a dough fight, romances the pawnbroker's daughter (Edna Purviance), and saves the shop from a would-be crook played by Eric Campbell. This is another comic gem from Chaplin. *** of 4 stars.
Review of The Pawnshop
