Please Help: What Chaplin Film Is This?

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anonymous1980
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Post by anonymous1980 »

Damien wrote:
kaytodd wrote:Thanks a lot. I know I will enjoy seeing that again, and not just that scene. Who knows, maybe my kids will enjoy it and a new world will be opened up to them. Transformers, Pirates, Potter, etc. are not bad, but Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd...

A friend of mine has been showing old movies to his kids, and now his 6-year-old's favorite film is Metropolis, his favorite stars Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Jerry Lewis.
I wished more parents would do this.
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Post by Damien »

kaytodd wrote:Thanks a lot. I know I will enjoy seeing that again, and not just that scene. Who knows, maybe my kids will enjoy it and a new world will be opened up to them. Transformers, Pirates, Potter, etc. are not bad, but Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd...
A friend of mine has been showing old movies to his kids, and now his 6-year-old's favorite film is Metropolis, his favorite stars Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and Jerry Lewis.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
kaytodd
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Post by kaytodd »

Thanks a lot. I know I will enjoy seeing that again, and not just that scene. Who knows, maybe my kids will enjoy it and a new world will be opened up to them. Transformers, Pirates, Potter, etc. are not bad, but Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd...
The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living. Oliver Wendell Holmes
anonymous1980
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Post by anonymous1980 »

Johnny Guitar wrote:It's been a while, but isn't this Modern Times?
It is Modern Times.
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Johnny Guitar
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Post by Johnny Guitar »

It's been a while, but isn't this Modern Times?
kaytodd
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Post by kaytodd »

There is a scene in this film in which Charlie (I am sure he was playing The Tramp) is playing a waiter. He is coming out of the restaurant kitchen struggling with a large tray of food carried over his head. The tables are arranged around a large round dance floor. The customer is an obnoxious jerk who was very unpleasant to Charlie while giving his order. Charlie was crossing the dance floor with the tray and the customer, whose table was on the other side of the dance floor, was rubbing his hands in anticipation. Suddenly the dance band starts to play and everyone at the tables pours onto the dance floor all at once, except Charlie's customer. Charlie is trying to bring the tray to his customer but the dancers keep him from getting to him. In very funny examples of physical comedy, Charlie is spun all over the dance floor while holding the food laden tray over his head. The customer is standing on his chair reaching out for his food. The music ends when Charlie is back at his starting point, across the dance floor from his customer. Charlie starts again across the dance floor, the music immediately starts up again, and the reaction of Charlie and his customer is even funnier.

I know very little about the Silent Era, other than the most obvious classics. My wife is not a film buff at all. But we saw this several years ago on a local PBS channel and were laughing out loud. The physical comedy shown by Charlie, the obnoxious and hungry customer, and the dancers, along with the perfect silly sounding dance music brought tears of laughter to us. They must have spent a great deal of time rehearsing this scene.

Does anyone know what film this is? I will get it if it is available. I will bet there is a lot of other good stuff in that film that I just don't remember.
The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living. Oliver Wendell Holmes
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