Chaplin in "Fatal Mallet"

2008-04-23 23:54:56

“Fatal Mallet” (1914, Sennett)

If Chaplin’s character he portrays in these early films is to be taken on a film by film basis, we are introduced to a playful but dangerous man in the first scene Chaplin appears in his 15th film “Fatal Mallet.” Chaplin, sitting on a tree swing, sees a couple somewhat quarreling and decides throwing a brick at him (or them?). The woman is instantly irate and hucks it back, hitting Chaplin and knocking him off of the tree swing. Oh boy, if brick throwin ain’t amusing, I’m not sure what is! So Chaplin joins forces with his (perceived) rival suitor to take out a third suitor with an oversized (but not fatal) mallet. Chaplin then bumps off #2 and goes to find his prize. He first needs to kick a boy ‘suitor’ out of the picture and then seems to flounder somewhat in his chance to woo the girl. Pretty soon a lake is introduced in the background and it’s only a matter of who ends up in the water. Bodies of water in Chaplin films are like guns in most movies: if they’re introduced to the audience, they must be used at some point. And in the end, it’s Chaplin and #2 in the lake whilst #3 and Mabel go off together

“Fatal Mallet” is one of the better films in the Chaplin/Sennett/Keystone 1914 collaboration. There are some genuinely funny moments such as the ones listed above but the randomness of logic, or lack thereof, preceding decisions to throw bricks, whack people over the head with giant mallet, and outright swift kicks to the ass are what charge the hilarity in the early Chaplin films

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