Unrequited Love

By chance I came across this 'Red Letter' card while looking for something else. I laughed just to look at it for it sums up the silent film stars skills in portraying meaning by facial expressions. Chaplin  intends to hold the hand of the woman but instead it is her husbands.   The title of the card  "unrequited love" also chimes in with some of those anonymous cards that will be sent for Valentine's day on Monday.

The film is the 1915 "A Night in the Show" (hence the subtitle Charlie at the Show), filmed for Essanay studies (the logo in the corner), Chaplin took on two roles, that of  the two inebriates  Mr Pest and Mr Rowdy.  Here he is Mr Pest who keeps moving into different seats before the show eventually starts, ending up in the best seat in the house, the front balcony by the side of the stage.  The woman of his attraction is Edna Purviance, who appeared as female lead in more of his films than any other actress, although in this one she only has a small part.  The plot and the scenes of the film were taken from the stage show that Chaplin performed as part of the Fred Karno Company called "A Night at the English Music Hall" when it toured the USA.  Mr Rowdy will pour beer down on the audience, there will be escaped snakes, a minor custard pie incident, a lady pushed in a fountain, and it will all end with a fire eater and a fire hose out of control.  The usual comedy mayhem.

The poster featuring the scary lady that makes Chaplin move seats yet again. 

Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy is the hostess of Postal Friendship Friday