The Rounders (1914 film)

The Rounders
The Rounders
	Theatrical poster
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Written by	Charlie Chaplin
Produced by	Mack Sennett
Starring	Charlie Chaplin; Roscoe Arbuckle
Cinematography	Frank D. Williams
Edited by	Charlie Chaplin
Production; company	Keystone Studios
Distributed by	Mutual Film
Release date	September 7, 1914;
Running time	16 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film; English intertitles

The Rounders

The Rounders is a 1914 comedy short starring Charlie Chaplin and Roscoe Arbuckle. The film involves two drunks who get into trouble with their wives, and was written and directed by Chaplin.

Plot

A drunk reveller, Mr. Full, returns home to a scolding from his wife. Then his equally inebriated neighbor, Mr. Fuller, comes home and starts a fight with his wife. When Mrs. Full hears the physical altercation across the hall (Mr. Fuller starts strangling his wife after she hits him), she sends her husband to investigate. The two wives begin arguing, while Mr. Full and Mr. Fuller seize the opportunity to steal their wives’ money and flee together to a cafe, where they also cause trouble. When their spouses find them, they escape to a leaky rowboat on a pond. Safely out of reach of their wives and the victims of the commotion they caused, they fall asleep, oblivious to the rising water into which they eventually disappear.

Cast

Chaplin and Arbuckle in the final scene.

Charlie Chaplin as Mr. Full
Roscoe Arbuckle as Mr. Fuller
Phyllis Allen as Mrs. Full
Minta Durfee as Mrs. Fuller
Al St. John as Bellhop/Waiter
Jess Dandy as Diner
Wallace MacDonald as Diner
Charley Chase as Diner
Billy Gilbert as Doorman in blackface (uncredited)
Cecile Arnold as Hotel guest (uncredited)
Dixie Chene as Diner (uncredited)
Edward F. Cline as Hotel guest in lobby (uncredited)
Ted Edwards as Cop (uncredited)
William Hauber as Waiter (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy in Bit Part (uncredited)

Title

Now somewhat antiquated, the term "rounder" was once commonly used to mean "a habitual drunkard or wastrel".

Review

Moving Picture World wrote, "It is a rough picture for rough people, that people, whether rough or gentle, will probably have to laugh over while it is on the screen. Chas. Chapman [sic] and the Fat Boy appear in this as a couple of genial jags."

References

External links

The Rounders at IMDb
The Rounders is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
The Rounders at the TCM Movie Database
The Rounders at AllMovie