Behind the Screen (2 reels) (1916) starring Charlie Chaplin, Eric Campbell, Edna Purviance
“Behind the Screen” is an early satire on the film industry. Charlie Chaplin is an overworked stagehand, abused by Eric Campbell. Charlie falls in love with Edna Purviance who has disguised herself as a man in order to get a job. The other workers eventually revolt, and destroy the movie studio.
Review of Behind the Screen
Behind the Screen is a hilarious, laugh out loud Charlie Chaplin silent film. It’s literally one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen. As David, he’s working as a stagehand at a movie studio, working under Goliath (Eric Campbell). He’s literally doing the work while Goliath rests — and nearly causes hilarious disasters multiple times!
The lovely Edna Purviance has been turned down at the studio as an actress. Being creative, when a bunch of the stagehands go on strike, he helps herself to some of their clothes, and impersonates a man, getting hired as a stagehand. Charlie takes a liking to “him”, and when “he” faints, Charlie tries to revive Edna with her hat. Revealing her long hair, and the fact that she’s a beautiful woman! So, he makes time with her, but Goliath thinks they “boys” are a pair of homosexuals, and teases them both! A hilarious scene, by the way.
Then, both David and Goliath are “drafted” by the comedy department, to take part in a pie fight. And Goliath gets absolutely soaked with pie!
And at the conclusion, the striking workers are going to blow up the studio! Then David’s been “helping” film a scene, where he’s in charge of pulling a lever to open a trapdoor. Which is absolutely hilarious as he keeps misinterpreting the signal, open and closing it at the worst times! Finally, the explosives are in the trap — as is Goliath! The explosives go off, but David and Edna go off for their happily ever after, ending the short film.
Cast of characters
- Eric Campbell (The Cure; The Rink) … Goliath – a Stagehand
- Charlie Chaplin (The Champion; The Idle Class) … David – His Assistant
- Edna Purviance (The Vagabond; A Burlesque on Carmen) … The Girl
- Albert Austin (One A.M.) … Stagehand (uncredited)
- Lloyd Bacon (A Night in the Show) … Director of Comedies (uncredited)
- Henry Bergman (The Circus) … Directory of History Film (uncredited)
- Leota Bryan (The Count) … Actress (uncredited)
- Frank J. Coleman (The Floorwalker) … Assistant Director (uncredited)
- James T. Kelley … Cameraman (uncredited)
- Charlotte Mineau (His New Job) … Actress (uncredited)
- John Rand (The Pawnshop) … Stagehand (uncredited)
- Wesley Ruggles (Shanghaied) … Actor (uncredited)
- Leo White (A Jitney Elopement) … Stagehand (uncredited)
- Tom Wood … Actor (uncredited)
Trivia
- This is one of the few short films in which Charles Chaplin’s character (David) gets a name other than “Charlie” or a description like “The Tramp”.
- From all Charles Chaplin’s movies with Edna Purviance, this is the only movie in which he kisses her more than once.