''Mabel's Strange Predicament'' is a 1914 American film starring Mabel Normand and

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 ...

, notable for being the first film for which Chaplin donned the costume of

The Tramp The Tramp (''Charlot'' in several languages), also known as the Little Tramp, was English actor Charlie Chaplin's most memorable on-screen character and an icon in world cinema during the era of silent film. '' The Tramp'' is also the title ...

, although his appearance in the costume in Kid Auto Races at Venice was released first. The film was directed by Normand and produced by

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

Cast

* Mabel Normand as Mabel *

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 ...

as Husband * Alice Davenport as Wife *

Harry McCoy Harry McCoy (December 10, 1893 – September 1, 1937) was an American film actor and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 150 films between 1912 and 1935. Early years McCoy was born on December 10, 1893, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ...

as Lover * Hank Mann as Hotel Guest *

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 ...

as Bellboy

Plot

An inebriated Charlie annoys several hotel guest while sitting in the lobby. In her hotel room, Mabel is playfully tossing a ball to her dog. The noise disturbs Alice who occupies the room across the hall from Mabel. She informs Chester that she is going to the lobby to make a complaint to the manager. Not long after Alice leaves her room, Mabel accidentally locks herself out of her room while wearing only pajamas. Charlie happens by and tries to woo her. Mabel flees in embarrassment and eventually enters Alice and Chester's room to hide. Mabel crawls under the bed. Mabel's beau, Harry, brings a bouquet of flowers to Mabel and has a bellhop unlock her room. Finding Mabel absent, Harry decides to wait for her in the room occupied by his friends—Chester and Alice! When Harry finds Mable hiding under Chester's bed, he assumes the worst and starts a fight with Chester. Alice returns and, upon seeing Mabel, also assumes the worst and starts a fight with her husband. By the movie's end, Harry and Mabel have reconciled, but Alice and Chester have escalated their fight.

Review

A reviewer for ''Exhibitors' Mail'' saw the genius of

in what was only his third film, and predicted great things for the former English stage comedian, writing: "The Keystone Company never made a better contract than when they signed on Chas. Chaplin, the Karno performer. It is not every variety artiste who possesses the ability to act before the camera. Chaplin not only shows that talent, he shows it in a degree which raises him at once to the status of star performer. We do not often indulge in prophecy, but we do not think we are taking a great risk in prophesying that in six months Chaplin will rank as one of the most popular screen performers in the world. Certainly there has never been before quite so successful a first appearance."

First "Tramp" appearance filmed

was first presented to the public in Chaplin's second film '' Kid Auto Races at Venice'' (released February 7, 1914), though ''Mabel's Strange Predicament'', his third film in order of release (released February 9, 1914), was produced a few days earlier. It was for this film that Chaplin first conceived of and played The Tramp. As he recalled in his autobiography: ''Mabel's Strange Predicament'' is one of more than a dozen early films that writer/director/comedian Mabel Normand made with Chaplin. Normand, who had written and directed films before Chaplin, mentored the young comedian. Chaplin's Tramp is shown swigging from a flask toward the beginning of the film and subsequently becoming so drunk that he staggers when he walks and falls down repeatedly near the end. His portrayal of drunkenness remains convincingly realistic. The Tramp also keeps his

derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

cocked throughout the action, a touch that Chaplin abandoned later in his career.

References

External links