''Dough and Dynamite'' is a 1914 American comedy

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

made by Keystone Studios starring Charlie Chaplin.

Plot

The story involves Chaplin and

Chester Conklin Chester Cooper Conklin (January 11, 1886 – October 11, 1971) was an early American film comedian who started at Keystone Studios as one of Mack Sennett’s Keystone Cops, often paired with Mack Swain. He appeared in a series of films with Ma ...

working as waiters at a restaurant. Charlie is especially inept and his comic carelessness enrages the customers. The workers in the restaurant's bakery go on strike for more pay, but are fired by the unsympathetic proprietor. Charlie is put to work in the bakery where his lack of skills upsets his boss and co-worker Chester Conklin. Meanwhile, the vengeful strikers have arranged to smuggle a loaf of bread concealing a stick of dynamite into the bakery. During a free-for-all involving Charlie, Chester, and their boss, the dynamite dramatically explodes. At the end of the film, Charlie emerges groggily from a pile of sticky dough.

Mack Sennett's recollections

In Mack Sennett's 1954 autobiography, ''King of Comedy'', he recalled he was absent from Keystone Studios for most of the filming of ''Dough and Dynamite''. Before Sennett left, he put Chaplin and Conklin jointly in charge of creating a new comedy with basically no guidelines. The two comedians began creating a film in which each man was a roominghouse boarder competing against one another in trying to woo the landlady, but they abandoned the idea after a short time. When they saw a "help wanted" sign outside a local bakery, the idea of a slapstick comedy set within a bakery came to both men almost simultaneously. Sennett claimed, however, that it was his idea to have a stick of dynamite concealed in a loaf of bread. Sennett declared ''Dough and Dynamite'' to be Chaplin's breakout film with Keystone.

Reviews

''The New York Dramatic Mirror'' praised Chaplin's efforts in ''Dough and Dynamite'', writing, "In a comparatively short time, Charles Chaplin has earned a reputation as a slapstick comedian second to none. His odd little tricks of manner and his refusal to do the most simple things in an ordinary way are essential features of his method, which thus far has defied successful imitation." ''

Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...

'' commented, "Two reels of pure nonsense, some of which is very laughable indeed. Chas. Chaplin appears as a waiter in a French restaurant and bakery. He has a terrible time breaking dishes and getting the dough over the floor. The bakers go on strike and at the last the whole place is blown up by dynamite. This is well-pictured and very successful for this form of humor."

Cast

Charles Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consid ...

- Waiter *

- Jacques * Fritz Schade - Monsieur La Vie, Bakery Owner *

Norma Nichols Norma Nichols (January 7, 1894 – November 27, 1989) was an American silent film actress. She appeared in 42 films between 1914 and 1922. She appeared in several of Larry Semon's films. She was the sister of actress Marguerite Nichols who marr ...

- Mme. La Vie, the Baker's Wife *

Glen Cavender Glen Cavender (September 19, 1883 – February 9, 1962) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1914 and 1949. Biography Glen Cavender was born in Tucson, Arizona, and died in Hollywood, California. He start ...

- Head baker * Cecile Arnold - Waitress *

Vivian Edwards Vivian Edwards (September 10, 1896 – December 4, 1949) was an American actress of silent film. Biography Born in Los Angeles in 1896, Edwards began her film career with the Keystone Film Company. A 1916 magazine article described her as "on ...

- Customer *

Phyllis Allen Phyllis Allen (November 25, 1861 – March 26, 1938) was an American vaudeville and silent screen comedian. She worked with Charles Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, and Mack Sennett during a film career spanning 74 movies in the ...

- Customer * John Francis Dillon - Customer *

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

- Striking baker *

Slim Summerville Slim Summerville (born George Joseph Somerville; July 10, 1892 – January 5, 1946), was an American film actor and director best known for his work in comedies. Early life Summerville was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mother d ...

- Striking baker *

Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 1940), known professionally as Charley Chase, was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director. He worked for many pioneering comedy studios but is chiefly associated with pro ...

(as Charles Parrott) - Customer *

Wallace MacDonald Wallace Archibald MacDonald (5 May 1891 – 30 October 1978) was a Canadian silent film actor and film producer. Biography MacDonald was born in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia, Canada, and attended school in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He started as a m ...

- Customer *

Jess Dandy Jess Dandy (November 9, 1871 in Rochester, New York – April 15, 1923 in Brookline, Massachusetts) was an American actor during the silent movie era in Hollywood. His real name was Jesse A. Danzig. While working at Keystone Studios in 1914, D ...

- Female Cook * Ted Edwards - Striking Baker (uncredited)

External links

DoughandDynamite
on

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* * 1914 films Short films directed by Charlie Chaplin American black-and-white films Silent American comedy films American silent short films 1914 comedy films Keystone Studios films Films produced by Mack Sennett Articles containing video clips 1914 short films American comedy short films 1910s American films {{1910s-short-comedy-film-stub