''The Fatal Mallet'' is a

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...

American-made motion picture starring Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand. The film was written and directed 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 ...

, who also portrays one of Chaplin's rivals for Normand's attention. (Sennett and Normand were off-screen lovers during this period.) ''The Fatal Mallet'' is one of more than a dozen early films that writer/director/comedian Mabel Normand made with Charles Chaplin; Normand, who had written and directed films before Chaplin, mentored the young comedian.

Synopsis

Three men will fight for the love of a charming girl. Charlie (in famous tramp guise) and one other suitor (unusually played by

himself) teams up against the third, and play dirty, throwing bricks and using a mallet. However, Charlie double-crosses his partner, thus losing his trust and the girl in the end.

Reviews

A reviewer for Moving Picture World said of ''The Fatal Mallet'', "This one-reeler proves that hitting people over the head with bricks and mallets can sometimes be made amusing." A reviewer for Bioscope positively wrote, "Though rivals in love for the beautiful Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin and Mack Sennett combine to rid themselves of a third poacher on their preserves, and the employment of a deadly mallet gives these indescribable comedians the opportunity for another genuinely funny farce."

Cast

* Charlie Chaplin - Suitor * Mabel Normand - Mabel *

- Rival suitor *

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 ...

- Another rival

External links

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

Synopsis

Reviews

Cast

See also

External links