Behind the Screen
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Behind the Screen | |
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Directed by | Charles Chaplin Edward Brewer (technical director) |
Produced by | Henry P. Caulfield |
Written by | Charles Chaplin (scenario) Vincent Bryan (scenario) Maverick Terrell (scenario) |
Starring | Charles Chaplin Edna Purviance Eric Campbell |
Cinematography | Roland H. Totheroh George C. Zalibra |
Editing by | Charles Chaplin |
Distributed by | Mutual Film Corporation |
Release date(s) | November 13, 1916 |
Running time | 2 Reels (full length unknown) |
Country | USA |
Language | Silent |
Behind the Screen is a 1916 short film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin also starring Eric Campbell and Edna Purviance. In the film which takes place in a movie studio, Chaplin plays a stagehand named David while Campbell ("Goliath") plays his supervisor. Much of the film is slapstick comedy but other issues are also brought up such as a stagehand strike as well as a plotline in which Purviance, unable to become an actress, dresses as a man and becomes a stagehand. The film is silent.
The film is noted for having one of the first Hollywood gay jokes in it. After Chaplin learns that Purviance is really a woman, he kisses her while on the set. A male stagehand sees this and thinking that Chaplin has kissed a man, starts acting in an overtly effeminate way until Chaplin kicks him.
[edit] External links
The Films of Charlie Chaplin | |
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The Mack Sennett Comedies: Kid Auto Races at Venice |
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The Chaplin-Mutual Comedies: The Floorwalker, The Fireman, The Vagabond, One A.M., The Count, The Pawnshop, Behind the Screen, The Rink, Easy Street, The Cure, The Immigrant, The Adventurer |
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Feature-length films: Tillie's Punctured Romance, The Kid, A Woman of Paris, The Gold Rush, The Circus, City Lights, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux, Limelight, A King in New York, A Countess from Hong Kong |
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Other films: The New Janitor, Chaplin |
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Stock company: Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Albert Austin, Henry Bergman |