Chaplin's Essanay Comedies Vol. 3 - Classic Silent Film Collection | Perfect for Movie Enthusiasts & Film History Lovers

The Essanay period was probably Charlie Chaplin's true first major transition. He had graduated from the frantic, rough & tumble environment of Keystone and settled into a different environment where crude slapstick could be refined, with more thought & careful execution. Chaplin's work at Essanay was an interesting footnote on where he had been, and what was to come."Shanghaiied" puts The Little Tramp out to sea as he gets "recruited" (along with other roughnecks) to work onboard a boat. So he trades his usual outfit for sailor's duds as Chaplin copes with what would become material for countless future comedies: Dealing with sea sickness, and the rocking of the boat making it a challenge to cook or serve food. And naturally, someone always keeps falling into the waters. There's a plot about the Captain committing arson so he can collect insurance on the boat, which Chaplin ably turns the tables on, and gets the girl in the end. "A Night at the Show" is reminiscent of the many English Music Hall skits Chaplin had performed earlier. However, his appearance is altered; he is & isn't The Tramp, as he plays a dapper but slightly tipsy gent with his trademark mustache. A good example of how funny Chaplin could be confined within "dignified" company as a variety of stage acts come & go, often implicating Chaplin and the audience. "Burlesque on 'Carmen'" is an elaborately staged spoof on the classic opera. Again, Chaplin (almost) steps out of character as the ridiculously-named officer Darn Hosiery. Allowed to fully play out, it's Chaplin's distinctive pantomime that makes this one a treat. "Police" is one of Chaplin's many brushes with the law. As a newly-released convict, he ambles along on adventures such as finding a place to sleep, etc. Then he encounters his old cellmate, who convinces him to rob a house; things get complicated from there. A characteristic moment shows a cop helpfully handing a mallet to "criminal" Charlie, who wastes no time bopping the cop out cold! "Triple Trouble" is the most curious offering. Chaplin's misadventures in a kitchen & flophouse coincide with an inventor whose new formula is the target of crooks bent on stealing it. The two stories seem unrelated for the longest time, until Chaplin encounters one of those crooks, finally tying the stories together. For added "comedy relief" (?), a group of comic policemen are added to the mix, looking for robbers (as if the Keystone Kops stumbled into this picture!). A minor short, but offbeat enough to be engaging.Another worthwhile early glimpse of Chaplin honing his craft!