#31: A Dog’s Life

Release Date: April 14th, 1918

Format: Streaming (Max)

Written by: Charlie Chaplin

Directed by: Charlie Chaplin

3 Stars

It was interesting watching this a day after watching The Kid. Although they’re only three years apart in their creation, they’re leagues apart in their artistic aspirations. Chaplin is still a developing filmmaker here.

They do make for a good comparison though, A Dog’s Life and The Kid. Both have the little tramp character adopting an orphan, in this case a dog. But whereas The Kid shows Chaplin coming into his own as an artist, mixing pathos into his brilliant comedy, A Dog’s Life is more just a vehicle for his vaudeville hijinks. And it’s really funny, impressive stuff. He’s in the conversation for greatest physical actor ever. But that’s about it here. He doesn’t reach the emotional depths that inform his best work through the ‘20s and ‘30s.