Stretching it Out: The Films of the Twenties

Chaplin produced, directed and starred as the Little Tramp in two feature-length films in the 1920s: The Kid, in 1921, and The Gold Rush, in 1925. The early shorts established the Tramp's precedent of continuous motion; to sustain that pace for a feature-length film would have been a feat in and of itself. Chaplin took advantage of the longer format to complicate the character so beloved for his simplicity. In the twenties the Tramp acquired new depth.

The Kid and The Gold Rush marked a departure from the early work not only in terms of length, but also in terms of plot; both were films with stories, not merely situations. Chaplin's continuance of the Tramp character into a format so different from that in which he originated the character indicated Chaplin's faith in Charlie's ability to carry more complex films. Although the Tramp still embodied physical freedom-- he was still the most limber and mobile figure among the players--the films of the twenties problematized this physical freedom, or, at least, raised questions about its ability to exist in society.

In order to portray the increasing difficulty the Tramp was having, Chaplin employed such methods as the incorporation of a dream sequence, which functioned to illustrate the discrepancy between the Tramp's desired mode of existence and what was possible. A dream sequence must appear in a space opened up by a character's falling asleep. Keeping still, much less sleeping, was uncharacteristic for Charlie. The fact that it occurred in both the 1920s films indicated that the Little Tramp was suffering functional difficulties.

Because he had more time in the films of the 1920s, Chaplin was able to have Charlie forge deeper emotional bonds with other characters than he had in the early shorts. Taking this step towards integrating Charlie into society actually affirmed his outsider quality. Chaplin didn't criticize society as overtly in these films as he would later, but he did convey, through Charlie, a sense that the world was becoming a place less able to accomodate the Little Tramp.

The suspensive endings of the 1920s films indicated the film's inability to resolve the problems it recognized. Both end in a sort of stasis that is indicative of the larger problem of fitting Charlie into a structure while maintaining his mobility. While the committed revolutionary might have walked away from his emotional attachments to ensure his freedom, the Little Tramp seemed to want it both ways. In the films, he did get it both ways. But the happy endings of The Kid and The Gold Rush are dreamlike surfaces, underneath which is doubt in the reality of what has occurred.

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