| The New Janitor | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Charlie Chaplin |
| Produced by | Mack Sennett |
| Starring | Charles Chaplin Jess Dandy John T. Dillon Al St. John |
| Cinematography | Frank D. Williams |
| Distributed by | Keystone Studios |
| Release date(s) | 14 September, 1914 |
| Running time | 16 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | Silent film English (Original titles) |
| IMDb profile | |
The New Janitor was the 27th comedy from Keystone Studios to feature Charlie Chaplin. The film is arguably one of his best for the studio, and a precursor to a key Essanay Studios short, The Bank. The film also demonstrates the differences that Chaplin had with Keystone comedy --- this film is a coherent whole in which the stock characters actually fill some emotional center. Chaplin brings a certain complexity to his janitor, unusual to the comedy factory of Mack Sennett. The film, which stars among Sennett's bit players Jess Dandy, Al St. John, John T. Dillon, and Minta Durfee, is far more centered and clear in direction. Comedy flows from within the story rather than as a by-product of story. After all this is a typical bank robbery storyline.
Plot
The hero, a janitor played by Chaplin, is fired from work for accidentally knocking his bucket of water out the window and onto his boss the chief banker (Tandy). Meanwhile, one of the junior managers (Dillon) is being threatened with exposure by his bookie for gambling debts unpaid. Thus the manager decides to steal from the company. He is caught in the act of raiding the vault by the bank secretary (Durfee) who rings the downstairs for help. Chaplin comes to the rescue only to be misjudged by the Chief Banker as the thief. The Secretary fingers the manager and Charlie receives a just reward and a handshake for foiling the robbery.
Cast
- Charles Chaplin - Janitor
- Jess Dandy - Bank President
- John T. Dillon - Villainous manager
- Al St. John - Elevator boy
External links
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Making a Living • Kid Auto Races at Venice • Mabel's Strange Predicament • Between Showers • A Film Johnnie • Tango Tangles • His Favourite Pastime • Cruel, Cruel Love • The Star Boarder • Mabel at the Wheel • Twenty Minutes of Love • Caught in a Cabaret • Caught in the Rain • A Busy Day • The Fatal Mallet • Her Friend the Bandit • Mabel's Busy Day • Mabel's Married Life • Laughing Gas • The Face on the Bar Room Floor • Recreation • The Masquerader • His New Profession • The Rounders • The Property Man • The New Janitor • Those Love Pangs • Dough and Dynamite • Gentlemen of Nerve • His Musical Career • His Trysting Place • Tillie's Punctured Romance • Getting Acquainted • His Prehistoric Past Later productions & misc.
A King in New York • The Chaplin Revue • A Countess from Hong Kong • The Freak • The Nut • Souls For Sale • A Woman of the Sea • Show People • Chaplin Stock company
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