Silent Film of the Month: The Rounders (1914)

 

Runtime: 13 minutes. Studio: Keystone. Director: Charlie Chaplin. Main Cast: Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Phyllis Allen, Minta Durfee. Cinematographer: Frank D. Williams. 

Charlie Chaplin and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle are two of the greats of movie comedy, and it is no surprise that the two paired together they make a really comedy team. While the two were in six other films together (A Film Johnnie (1914), Tango Tangles (1914), His Favorite Pastime (1914), The Knockout (1914),  The Masquerader (1914), His New Profession (1914)), they duo only worked as a true team in one short film, The Rounders, and what a delightful movie it is. The two comedians have incredible chemistry together and it looks like they are having a ball working with one another. In The Chaplin Encyclopedia, Glen Mitchell states, "In  The Rounders, the two comedians complement each other perfectly, even to the point where it is Arbuckle rather than Chaplin who uses a cane to steal a handbag." Roscoe would later say,  "I have always regretted having not been his partner in a longer film than these one reelers we made so rapidly. He is a complete comic genius, undoubtedly the only one of our time and he will be the only one who will still be talked about a century from now."

Like many of the best shorts from the Keystone Studio, this film has a very basic storyline that is simply an excuse for gags. Our heroes (Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle) come home drunk and after fights with their wives (Minta Durfee, Phyllis Allen), decide to sneak out and have a night on the town. The story and the gags look forward to the Chaplin short  A Night Out (1915) and the scenes with the tramp and the drunk in Charlie's feature-length City Lights (1931). 

Like many Keystone shorts of this time period, this film is full of rough and tumble slapstick. A review in Moving Picture World says it best,  ROUNDERS (Keystone), September 7.—A picture of a "glorious" drunk and of two wives who try to mend matters. There is plenty of funny action and, though it is of the kind that one can't help laughing at, one is. nevertheless, not flattered by it. It's a rough picture for rough people, that people, whether rough or gentle, will probably have to laugh over when it is on screen." I can not argue with this. There is nothing subtle or sophisticated about this movie and those who except the more polished films that the two main comedians would turn yet later will be in for a surprise. Yet there is something about the unpretentiousness and unapologetically slapstick feeling to this film that I can not resist and can not help but put a smile on my face. Much of the humor holds up very well and I have to admit I laughed quite a few times watching this.  

Moving Picture World, 1914

Picture Play, 1917

Charlie's role as a drunk here was a normal role for this time. Comic drunkenness had been a major part of Charlie's act before he entered the movies. When on stage as part of the Fred Karno Troupe, he played a drunk in the comedy sketch Mumming Birds (which Charlie would later make into the short film, A Night in the Show (1915)). Comic drunkenness would remain a major part of Charlie's act through his time at Keystone and then at Essanay (directly after). However his two best known drunk roles would come later with the short film One Am (1916) and certain scenes of the feature length City Lights (1931). He would approach alcoholism in a more serious matter in the feature length Limelight (1952). In real life, Charlie was not much of a drinker, something common with many of the great movie drunks. Though today Charlie Chaplin is not known as much for his drunk act as he was in the 1910's, watching films like this today make it clear that he is one of the greatest comic drunks to ever grace the movie screen.

Stars of the Photoplay, 1924

As well as the two great starring comedians, this film also sports a fine supporting cast. Roscoe's wife is played by Minta Durfee, who was in fact his first wife in real life. Charlie's wife is played by Phyllis Allen. She appeared in many Keystones around this time supporting both Roscoe and Charlie. Her work at Keystone also included multiple films with Charlie's half-brother Syd Chaplin and Mack Swain (who is best known today for his role in the Chaplin feature, The Gold Rush (1925)). She would later work with Charlie in the short, Pay Day (1922). In a brief role as a bellboy is Al St. John. Al was Roscoe's nephew and was a talented trick bicycle rider. His parents did not wish for Al to get into the movies, but Minta Durfee arranged for Keystone founder and producer, Mack Sennett to see Al's bicycle riding which got him a movie contract. He would continue working with his uncle in the short films Roscoe made after leaving the Keystone Studio. In the sound era, Al often played sidekicks in westerns under the name Fuzzy St. John. In westerns, he would appear with such B-Western stars as Bob Steele. Fred Scott and Buster Crabbe. His character would even be the title character of the Buster Crabbe western, Fuzzy Settles Down (1944). In a tiny appearance as one of the people dinning is future comedy star, Charley Chase, who would go on to star in a hilarious series of short comedies.  Another dinner (the one who our two heroes annoy) is Fritz Schade, who appeared in quite a few of the Chaplin Keystones. Glenn Mitchell states in his A-Z of Silent Film Comedy, "In recent times, opinions have started to differ concerning Schade's credits; there are claims that the roles ascribed to Schade are in fact variously the work of two actors, the other as of yet unidentified." He spent four years four years at Keystone, starting in 1913, and during that time had sometimes been referred to as "Keystone Fritz." He had even played the chief of the Keystone Cops in the short, For Better- But Worse (1915). His career ended when a leg injury caused him to retire. He died at only 46 years old, when under going brain surgery on June 17, 1926. 

Variety, 1917

(Warning the Following Paragraph Contians Spoilers) The ending of this film features our two heroes sinking into the sea in a boat. It has been said that this came about because Charlie had an aversion to water and Roscoe wanted to play a practical joke on him. The story goes that Roscoe removed the bung without his friend excepting it. 

This film can be found on YouTube. 

Resources Used

The Chaplin Encyclopedia by Glenn Mitchell. 

A-Z of Silent Film Comedy by Glen Mitchell

Chase! A Tribute to the Keystone Cops Complied and Edited by Lon and Debra Davis.    

https://chaplinfilmbyfilm.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/the-rounders-7-september-1914/