Charlie Chaplin's "Behind The Screen"

1916

Charlie Chaplin, Silents

Charlie Chaplin's 57th Film released November 13 1916. Behind the Screen, a short film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin also starring Eric Campbell and Edna Purviance. In the film which takes place in a movie studio, Chaplin plays a stagehand named David while Campbell ("Goliath") plays his supervisor. Much of the film is slapstick comedy but other issues are also brought up such as a stagehand strike as well as a plotline in which Purviance, unable to become an actress, dresses as a man and becomes a stagehand. The film is silent. The film is noted for having one of the first Hollywood gay jokes in it. After Chaplin learns that Purviance is really a woman, he kisses her while on the set. A male stagehand sees this and thinking that Chaplin has kissed a man, starts acting in an overtly effeminate way until Chaplin kicks him. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0006414/

Behind the Screen is a 1916 in film short film silent film written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin, and also starring Eric Campbell (actor) and Edna Purviance.

Synopsis

The film takes place in a movie studio. A stagehand named David (Chaplin) has a supervisor, Goliath (Campbell). Much of the film is slapstick comedy involving Chaplin manhandling large props, but other plotlines include a strike action by the stagehands, and Purviance, who is unable to become an actress, dressing as a man and becoming a stagehand.
Image:Kissing a girl.JPEG

Mention in The Celluloid Closet and Unknown Chaplin

The film is significant to the history of homosexuality in the cinema, as it contains a joke about the subject, which was relatively unusual at the time. After Chaplin learns that Purviance is really a woman, he kisses her while on the set; at this point, a male stagehand enters and, thinking that Chaplin has kissed a man, starts acting in an overtly effeminate way until Chaplin kicks him.

Media

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Category:1916 films
Category:American films
Category:Films directed by Charlie Chaplin
Category:Black-and-white films
Category:American silent short films
Category:1910s comedy films
Category:American comedy films

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