The Immigrant (1917)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin, have been for over a decade now. Many films and shorts of his are very good to masterpiece, and like many others consider him a comedy genius and one of film's most important and influential directors. From his post-Essanay period after leaving Keystone, 'The Immigrant' is among the very best of his early output, one of his best from his Mutual period and one of his first classics. As said with many of his post-Keystone efforts, it shows a noticeable step up in quality though from his Keystone period, where he was still evolving and in the infancy of his long career, from 1914, The Essanay and Mutual periods were something of Chaplin's adolescence period where his style had been found and starting to settle. Something that can be seen in 'The Immigrant'. The story is more discernible than usual and is never dull, and does it while not being as too busy or manic.On the other hand, 'The Immigrant' looks good, not incredible but it was obvious that Chaplin was taking more time with his work and not churning out countless shorts in the same year of very variable success like he did with Keystone. Appreciate the importance of his Keystone period and there is some good stuff he did there, but the more mature and careful quality seen here and later on is obvious.'The Immigrant' is one of the funniest and most touching early efforts of Chaplin. It is hilarious with some clever, entertaining and well-timed slapstick and has substance and pathos that is very moving. It moves quickly and there is no dullness in sight. The second half is both hilarious and enchanting.Chaplin directs more than competently and the cinematic genius quality is emerging. He also, as usual, gives a playful and expressive performance and at clear ease with the physicality and substance of the role. The supporting cast acquit themselves well, particularly a charming Edna Purviance and their chemistry is sweet to watch. Eric Campbell is both amusing and formidable.In summary, terrific. 10/10 Bethany Cox

1917. Wow. That's a long time ago ! Can't believe it's more than a century old, now.If you're familiar with Chaplin films, then this can be summarized by saying it's got all the typical charm and ridiculous comedic gymnastics and twists he and only he could bring to the big screen: that ability to keep a plot relevant and alive while focusing on filling up vacant scenes with hilarity and potent entertainment; producing something out of nothing put bluntly; while instilling a very subtle sense of humanity and genuine goodness all at the same time. The entire restaurant scene is exactly that: there's basically nothing going on, or little, and yet it's a scene that is undoubtedly memorable."The tramp" persona was well established at the start already it seems, as Chaplin's classic leitmotiv is the crux of the story here: a man miserable financially but with seemingly bottomless affection and enormous emotional wealth. 7.5./10.

way to America. a generous subject. and perfect occasion to give it a lot of nuances. story of love, many gags, it is beginning of Chaplin in cinema world and, in same measure, short synthesis of his work. because each of future elements of his creation is present here. social question, the usual characters, the Charlot mark, the poor young woman and generous hero, the innocence and brutal force, nice gestures and forms of humor, lovely end.it is not a basis or a recipes. only a vision about life.not complicated, not unusual. like a parable, it is only window to reality heart. and good element for reflection about magic of film and the waves of history.

I have the Charlie Chaplin (the Little Tramp) Collection of 5 DVDs, from Passport Video, since long time ago however, and I really feel stupid for that, I have only a few of Chaplin short films. Well, the last weekend I watched and really liked a couple of Harold Lloyd short films (Bumping Into Broadway and An Eastern Westerner) and basically I just thought, "well, what I am waiting, let's watch some Chaplin shorts". The Immigrant is so much fun, divided in two parts this 25 minutes film shows Chaplin first on board and later, when he finally is in the Land of Liberty, at a restaurant. It is the American dream for the little tramp but he will find nothing but hard times. Previously he had an odd trip and we can't argue that, we enjoy some of his "adventures" on board meeting some people and of course one of them will join him in America. Between them, the tramp and the girl, we watch good moments in difficult times, the tramp as always being kind but sometimes not very kind. The girl is having not only the hard time of being on board with a dream in mind, the dream of founding a new place where the things can be a little better but maybe everything will be just that, a dream. So apart of that her mother is sick and both need some help. For her fortune the tramp is there not only to show us how you can eat when the tide is making things a little complicated but also to be kind with the girl. To begin he helps the girl to get some food however the problems are bigger when the mother of the girl is stolen. But again the kind and realistic tramp is there to put a smile in the girl's pretty face. After the mentioned incidents of the tramp and the girl it was going to be impossible for both not to recognize the other if they meet again now in solid ground. And when they are at the restaurant is when the funniest part begins. There all the personality of Chaplin's character is shown, to begin he is again the helper of the girl and we will watch a very strange and understandable behaviour of the tramp, you know he and the girl eating and he without a cent. Simply hilarious; probably the sequence that resumes this tramp is when the artists arrives to their table. The tramp has been "fighting" to get some money and he knows what happens when a client can't pay (in the Harold Lloyd short film Bumping Into Broadway we watch a similar scene for a similar case, in both our protagonists sees the person who they owe beating a man in their same situation) but he refuses the help of the artist. He ends paying with the money of the artist (with the tip that the artist left) however nobody but us knows that. Look at Chaplin when the waiter realizes that the tramp actually could afford the food. And the tramp even ends as a very kind man since he even left a tip to the waiter, he did what the waiter doesn't, simply great and very funny to end with the tramp and the girl together.Right now I can't really write that The Immigrant is one of the best short films that Chaplin made since I have seen only a few however I can write that this is a very recommend short film that I really liked.