In A Jitney Elopement, Edna Purviance’s father wants her to marry the Count Chloride de Lime. But Edna’s in love with the lowly Charlie. He impersonates the Count at a dinner, until the real Count shows up!
A Jitney Elopement (1915) starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Leo White
A Jitney Elopement is an odd sort of Charlie Chaplin comedy. The pace is slower, and Charlie’s not quite The Little Tramp just yet. The basic conflict is that Edna’s father wants her to marry “Count Chloride de Lime” – a man that none of them knows. And he’s willing to pay the Count a large sum of money as well! But, Edna’s already in love with Charlie …
At Edna’s House
The comedy begins at Edna’s house, where she gets a note to her “good knight” to rescue her. So, Charlie comes in, impersonating the Count, and having lunch with Edna and her father. The comedy’s slow here – a memorable bit is where Charlie cuts a loaf of bread in corkscrew fashion, and plays with it like an accordion.
But then the real Count shows up, and Charlie’s thrown out of the house. And the rest of them decide to go to the park, where the Count will attempt to woo Edna …
At the Park
But Charlie’s also at the park. He tries to roll a cigarette and smoke it, but fails. And when Edna and the Count arrive, Charlie fights with the Count, quickly defeating him. So the Count calls the police, and Charlie finds some bricks to assault the police with! This is where the comedy starts to pick up.
Automobile chase
Finally, the chase is on — Charlie and Edna get in a jitney car. What’s that? Effectively, an unlicensed taxi. And, they speed away, pursued by the police, Edna’s father, and the Count. Charlie does some comedy when trying to start the car, as well as making a pit stop to grab more bricks. To throw at poor police officer Bud Jamison, who gets knocked out of the pursuing car! After some more antics, Charlie puts his car in reverse, knocking the pursuing car into the lake. And, he and Edna are now free to elope and get married.
In conclusion: A Jitney Elopement is a mediocre Charlie Chaplin silent comedy short. The pace is slow, and the comedy moments are too few. At least until the second half of the film. The entire movie’s embedded at the bottom of the page, so feel free to judge for yourself.
Cast of characters
- Charlie Chaplin (The Fatal Mallet; The Rink) … Suitor – the Fake Count
- Edna Purviance (The Champion; A Burlesque on Carmen) … Edna
- Lloyd Bacon (The Vagabond) … Young Butler / Cop (uncredited)
- Fred Goodwins (Shanghaied) … Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- Bud Jamison (The Floorwalker; Movie Maniacs) … Cop with Baton (uncredited)
- Paddy McGuire (A Night in the Show) … Old Butler / Cop (uncredited)
- Carl Stockdale (The Champion) … Cop (uncredited)
- Ernest Van Pelt (The Champion) … Edna’s Father (uncredited)
- Leo White (A Burlesque on Carmen) … Count Chloride de Lime – Edna’s Suitor (uncredited)