''His Prehistoric Past'' is a 1914 American short silent

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

, written and directed by Charlie Chaplin, featuring a Chaplin in a stone-age kingdom trying to usurp the crown of King Low-Brow to win the affections of the king's favorite wife. As this film was the final one that Chaplin made at Keystone Studios, it was also the last film he made with most of Keystone's regular roster of comedians. Co-star Mack Swain would not appear in another Chaplin film until 1923 when he had a prominent role in the Chaplin silent film '' Pay Day''.

Synopsis

The tramp sits on a park bench. He decides to have a nap and lies down and starts to dream. Back in the Stone Age, King Low-Brow, King of Wakiki Beach, sits surrounded by his six favorite wives as they watch a man dancing to entertain them. A guard stands in the background. All are dressed in animal skins. Charlie arrives in this land wearing a black hat, caveman-style. He is smoking a pipe and still has his hat and cane. He meets and falls in love with the King's favorite wife. The caveman, who had been dancing, leaves the king and goes hunting. He sees Charlie kissing the arm of the wife and fires an arrow, hitting Charlie in the backside. The wife pulls it out. Charlie throws a rock at the hunter but misses and hits the king on the head. Charlie and the hunter chase each other around a large boulder. The king joins the fracas and is accidentally attacked by the hunter. Charlie then reverses and knocks the hunter out with a club. He exchanges calling cards (leaves) with the King. They shake hands and rub noses. They become friends, and the King takes them to a cave to have a drink. The wives are admiring Charlie when a younger caveman arrives, and they admire him instead. Charlie clubs him. He picks one wife and goes to the rocky water's edge. A wave drags them out to sea. They make it back, but the King is annoyed. The clubbed caveman wakes up and seeks revenge. Charlie dances with his favourite wife. The king is annoyed again. They go hunting with a bow and arrow, and Charlie fires at a bird in a nest above, breaking an egg which lands on the king's head. He declares his love for the king's favorite wife. The other wives arrive. When the King is kicked over a cliff by Charlie, he is presumed dead by the wives, and Charlie declares himself King. However, the king is not dead and is found by the dancing caveman. The king comes back and bashes Charlie over the head with a rock. Charlie wakes from his dream and a policeman bashes Charlie over the head with his baton because he was sleeping in the park.

Review

A reviewer from the San Francisco Call and Post wrote, "Charles Chaplin and other members of the Keystone Company have outdone all their previous fun-provoking efforts in the two-part film called His Prehistoric Past, which puts Chaplin in a dream state during which time he goes through a series of prehistoric difficulties, trying enough to discourage even the strongest 'stone age' man."

Cast

* Charlie Chaplin as Weak-Chin *

Mack Swain Mack Swain (born Moroni Swain; February 16, 1876 – August 25, 1935) was an early American film actor, who appeared in many of Mack Sennett’s comedies at Keystone Studios, including the Keystone Cops series. He also appeared in major fea ...

as King Low-Brow * Fritz Schade as Ku-Ku aka Cleo, Medicine Man * Cecile Arnold as Cavewoman *

Al St. John Al St. John (also credited as Al Saint John and "Fuzzy" St. John; September 10, 1892 – January 21, 1963) was an early American motion-picture comedian. He was a nephew of silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, with whom he often performed on ...

Caveman The caveman is a stock character representative of primitive humans in the Paleolithic. The popularization of the type dates to the early 20th century, when Neanderthals were influentially described as "simian" or " ape-like" by Marcellin Bo ...

Sydney Chaplin Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life. Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...

as Policeman *

Helen Carruthers Helen Carruthers (1892–1925) was an American actress of the silent film era. Carruthers is best known for her work in Keystone comedies. Career Carruther's career in film began in 1914. That year she appeared in no less than 35 Keystone ...

as Queen * Gene Marsh as Sum-Babee, Low-Brow's Favorite Water Maiden

References

External links

* * {{Charlie Chaplin filmography 1914 films 1914 comedy films American silent short films Short films directed by Charlie Chaplin American black-and-white films Films about cavemen Keystone Studios films Films produced by Mack Sennett Silent American comedy films Articles containing video clips 1914 short films American comedy short films 1910s American films Films shot in the Lehigh Valley