22. The Face on the Bar-Room Floor (1914)

Keystone 1914

Synopsis

This burlesque of Hugh Antoine Darcy's sentimental poem sees Charlie as an artist in a bar, recounting his tragic past in return for a drink. In flashback he is seen drawing the lovely Madeleine and then the man who she ultimately runs off with, leaving Charlie distraught. The pictures Charlie draws are in ironic opposition to the intertitles, which are taken from the poem. So the "fair haired boy" becomes a balding middle-aged man. Back in the bar Charlie is asked to draw the lovely face of Madeleine but can only manage an amateurish outline. He is booted out and chalks a drawing, and eventually falls across it 'dead, drunk'.

chaplin_credits

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Scenario:

Charles Chaplin, after the poem by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy.

Cast:

Charles Chaplin (Artist)

Cecile Arnold (Madeline)

Fritz Schade (The Lover Who Stole Her)

Vivian Edwards (Model)

Chester Conklin (Drinker)

Josef Swickard (Drinker)

Hank Mann (?) (Drinker)

Harry McCoy (Drinker)

Wallace MacDonald (?)(Drinker)

? Charles Bennett (Sailor)

? Jess Dandy (Lover who stole Madeleine away)

Shooting days:

July 13 - July 20

Negative sent from LA:

Received in New York:

3 August

Released:

August 10 1914

Length:

1020ft

Other titles:

The Ham Artist, The Ham Actor