''The New Janitor'' was the 27th comedy from Keystone Studios to feature Charlie Chaplin. The film is arguably one of his best for the studio, and a precursor to a key Essanay Studios short, '' The Bank''. The film also demonstrates the differences that Chaplin had with Keystone comedy in that it is a coherent whole in which the stock characters actually fill some emotional center. Chaplin brings a certain complexity to his janitor, unusual to the comedy factory of

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 ...

. The film, which stars among Sennett's bit players

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 ...

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 ...

, John T. Dillon, and

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 ...

, is far more centered and clear in direction. Comedy mostly flows from the core of the story instead of being a by-product of it. After all this is a typical bank robbery storyline.

Plot

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 ...

, a janitor in this film, is fired from work for accidentally knocking his bucket of water out of the window and onto his boss, the chief banker (Dandy). Meanwhile, one of the junior managers (Dillon) is being threatened with exposure by his bookie for his unpaid gambling debts, and thus decides to steal from the company. He is caught in the act of raiding the vault by the bank secretary (Carruthers), who is threatened with a gun and therefore presses the janitor button for help. The Tramp comes to the rescue and gets hold of the manager’s gun, only to be misjudged by the chief banker and a policeman as the thief. The secretary explains the truth to the chief banker. In the end the manager is arrested and the Tramp is rewarded by the chief banker for his heroic act.

Reviews

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, "...A ripping good comedy number with Chas. Champman icplaying the part of the janitor. He interpolates a lot of his inimitable funny business and the plot is better than usual." ''

Motion Picture News The ''Motion Picture News'' was an American film industry trade paper published from 1913 to 1930. History The publication was created through the 1913 merger of the ''Moving Picture News'' founded in 1908 and ''The Exhibitors' Times'', founded ...

'' also got Chaplin's surname wrong in its review: "The comical Charles Chapman icin a laughable farce that will arouse peals of laughter from any audience."

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 ...

– Janitor *

– Bank president * John T. Dillon – Villainous manager *

– Elevator boy *

– Bank secretary

External links

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