In The Cure, Charlie Chaplin is an inebriate. He goes to a sanitarium for “the cure” to stop his drinking. Although he’s brought a trunk full of booze! And soon he’s got everyone drunk!
The Cure (1917) starring Charlie Chaplin, Eric Campbell, Edna Purviance
The Cure begins by introducing the audience to a hot water spring at the sanitarium. A place where people are drinking the warm mineral water to ease their various ailments. Which becomes very important later on! A drunken Charlie Chaplin arrives, and after nearly falling into the spring, he fights with a revolving door to enter. His recurring nemesis, Eric Campbell, is also at the sanitarium, suffering from gout. He’s trying to go out the revolving door while Charlie’s trying to go in — a very funny scene.
Finally, he manages to stumble into his room, where an elderly bellboy brings his trunk. A trunk filled with bottles of alcohol! Then, it’s time for his first visit to the spring. But he’s far more interested in a pretty patient than in drinking the mineral water. After some clowning around — including dumping the water into his hat whenever the attendant’s not looking — Charlie finally takes a sip. And dashes straight back to his room! For some alcohol to wash the taste out.
Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, and Charlie – the romantic triangle
Shortly after, we see Eric Campbell, making eyes at the pretty Edna Purviance. She rejects his advances, but he’s nothing if not persistent. Then the drunken Charlie unwittingly interferes. He stand up for Edna, and she reciprocates. Then, it’s time for Charlie’s massage. At the same time, the manager has found his way to Charlie’s room, and finds the bellboy — passed out drunk! He orders one of the attendants to throw out the alcohol, which he does — straight into the spring!
In the bath, Charlie instigates a shoe fight between Eric and another patient — then he’s off to swim, without getting wet. Then, after seeing a patient being twisted into a pretzel having a massage — it’s Charlie’s turn! Meanwhile, patients are drinking from the spiked spring …
A sobering conclusion
Soon, nearly everyone is drunk, and Charlie rescues Edna from two of the more obnoxious drunks. And she reciprocates, by taking him to the well, insisting that he drink, since the water will keep him sober! The next day, Charlie has a hangover – as does nearly everyone else …. But Edna likes him, which is all the cure Charlie needs, apparently. He’s so lovestruck that he walks straight into the spring, ending the comedy short.
Cast of characters in The Cure
- Charlie Chaplin (The Rink) … The Inebriate
- Edna Purviance (The Immigrant) … The Girl
- Eric Campbell (Easy Street) … The Man with the Gout
- Henry Bergman (The Idle Class) … Masseur
- John Rand (The Pawnshop) … Sanitarium Attendant
- James T. Kelley (A Night in the Show) … Sanitarium Attendant
- Albert Austin (Shoulder Arms) … Sanitarium Attendant
- Frank J. Coleman … Head of Sanitarium
Additional Cast
- Leota Bryan … Nurse
- William Gillespie (Haunted Spooks) … Patient
- Janet Sully … Woman
- Loyal Underwood (Limelight) … Patient
- Tom Wood (The Gold Rush) … Patient
Editorial review of The Cure courtesy of Amazon.com
“The Cure” is perhaps the funniest of the Mutuals. Inspiration for the film was drawn from the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where Chaplin was living at the time. There is a delightful scene where Charlie assumes several poses in his swimsuit as the curtains open and close. The scene was inspired by the tableaux vivant, a popular feature of many British music-hall programs.