Although we tucked a few more Chaplin films into our festival at a later date, this one was our first. With very little experience of Chaplin and no real sense of where to start, I picked this film, truth be told, because it had a "dog" in the title.
Specs:
35 minutes; black and white, silent movie. Available on youtube.
Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
7.13
More about the movie and our reaction to it:
Chaplin is fantastic in his little Tramp character and he spends the movie side by side with a very sweet dog ('Scraps'). I don't know about you, but for us somehow, seeing a dog from long ago starring in a film is just charming.
The film is packed with great scenes and Chaplin's relationship with the dog is very appealing. Several moments in the movie really capture the imagination -- including the one where Chaplin rolls back and forth under the fence evading a cop, and later, sneaks rolls into his mouth right under the nose of the suspicious vendor. Both are hilarious.
As with other really old movies, A Dog's Life takes a different kind of viewing to fully appreciate. Almost all old films move at a much slower pace than we're used to. Some of them (this one included) have quick-witted hilarious bits, punctuated by longer sections of calm. To best enjoy a silent movie, make sure everyone is in the right mood and willing to get into the rhythm and pace. Once you've achieved that state, you may find that you love this film too. But don't be surprised if your kids say its boring.
Iconic shot:
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