The Star Boarder (1914 film)

The Star Boarder is a 1914 American short comedy film starring Charlie Chaplin.

The Star Boarder
Chaplin as the "star" boarder and
Durfee as his attentive landlady
Directed byGeorge Nichols
Written byCraig Hutchinson
Produced byMack Sennett
StarringCharles Chaplin
Minta Durfee
Edgar Kennedy
Gordon Griffith
Alice Davenport
CinematographyFrank D. Williams
Distributed byKeystone Studios
Release date
  • April 4, 1914 (1914-04-04)
Running time
16 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent film
English (Original titles)

The film is also known as The Landlady's Pet, its 1918 American reissue title.[1]

Synopsis

Charlie, a resident in a boarding house, is the favorite of his landlord's wife. His fellow male boarders are jealous of the situation and dislike Charlie because of it. They arrange to frighten him with a dummy. Charlie is frightened and runs to the police. Meanwhile, a tramp has hidden himself in a cupboard. The police find him, making Charlie a hero for the moment. The mischievous young son of the landlord, however, has taken a series of compromising photographs and displays them to everyone in a magic lantern show. Two scandals are revealed: One photo shows Charlie kissing the proprietor's wife. Another shows the proprietor flirting with another woman.

The young son was played by Gordon Griffith. Four years later Griffith would play the young title character in the first movie adaptation of Tarzan of the Apes.

Review

Motion Picture News said of The Star Boarder, "[It is] a very funny comedy. The landlady is too familiar with the star boarder to suit her husband. He gets even, however, by going out with another woman."

Cast

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Star Boarder was subject to restrictions and cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required, when the film was submitted for review for its 1918 reissue as The Landlady's Pet, cuts of Chaplin thumbing his nose and the scene of Chaplin inflating his trousers and looking into them.[2]

See also

References
  1. Progressive Silent Film List: The Star Boarder at silentera.com
  2. "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company. 7 (10): 36. August 31, 1918.
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