The Tramp (film)

The Tramp
The Tramp
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Written by	Charlie Chaplin
Produced by	Jess Robbins
Starring	Charlie Chaplin; Edna Purviance
Cinematography	Harry Ensign
Edited by	Charlie Chaplin
Distributed by	Essanay Studios; General Film Company
Release date	April 11, 1915;
Running time	32 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The Tramp

The Tramp is Charlie Chaplin's sixth film for Essanay Studios and was released in 1915. Directed by Chaplin, it was the fifth and last film made at Essanay's Niles, California studio.^[1] The Tramp marked the beginning of The Tramp character most known today, even though Chaplin played the character in earlier films. This film marked the first departure from his more slapstick character in the earlier films, with a sad ending and showing he cared for others, rather than just himself. The film co-stars Edna Purviance as the farmer's daughter and Ernest Van Pelt as Edna's father. The outdoor scenes were filmed on location near Niles.

Plot

The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) finds the girl of his dreams and works on a family farm. He helps defend the farm against criminals, and all seems well, until he discovers the girl of his dreams already has a boyfriend. Unwilling to be a problem in their lives, he takes to the road, though he is seen skipping and swinging his cane as if happy to be back on the road where he knows he belongs.

Cast

Charlie Chaplin as The Tramp
Edna Purviance as Farmer's daughter
Lloyd Bacon as Edna's fiancé
Leo White as First thief
Bud Jamison as Second thief
Ernest Van Pelt as Farmer/Edna's father
Paddy McGuire as Farmhand
Billy Armstrong as Minister

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Tramp was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors cut, in Reel 1, the scene of Chaplin sitting in a sewage drainage pipe after burning his posterior.^[2]

References

^ "Progressive Silent Film List: The Tramp". silentera.com. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (14). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 29. March 30, 1918.

External links

The Tramp on YouTube
The Tramp at IMDb
The Tramp at AllMovie
The Tramp is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive

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[silentera-1] "Progressive Silent Film List: The Tramp". silentera.com. Retrieved 2010-11-02.

[2] "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (14). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 29. March 30, 1918.

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