Baxter Martin on 12 July at 00:37

“In The Park/Caught In The Rain” (1914, Chaplin)

Originally titled “Caught In The Rain” and later re-issued as “In The Park” (though not to be confused with Chaplin’s 1915 movie of the same name), this film was Chaplin’s second time directing and thirteenth overall, all for Keystone Studio. Although this movie isn’t halfway through the amount of films Chaplin would make in 1914 for Keystone, , it shows us a glimpse of a more refined Chaplin. Yeah, he’s a drunk tramp hitting on other people’s wives, kicking people in the butt, acting as human bowling ball, however, he doesn’t seem all that nasty in “Caught In The Rain.” Chaplin seems more of a feisty sympathetic character which is what this tramp character would eventually become and sustain.

Chaplin’s world of crazy coincidences is in high effect here. He happens upon a woman on a bench, who has just been fighting with her husband. She enjoys his flirtations but acts shocked when hubby returns. Chaplin happens to be staying at the same hotel as the couple and the wife just so happens to sleepwalk into his room. Chaplin draws the fire of the local law enforcement personnel and later knocks them all down in the hallway. And somewhat full-circley, he collapses with the woman at the end. So, he gets the girl? Well at least for that night I suppose. This is one of the few Keystone films I’d recommend watching for some raw Chaplin.