A Day’s Pleasure appears to be a film about the simplicities of life and the pleasures that it allows those who are willing to partake in its adventures. Charlie Chaplin manages to capture that magic (the magic of a car ride with family, a boat ride down the river or a dance with the one you love) while still depicting the often unbridled craziness that accompanies the joy. While the character known as Father (Chaplin) travels with his family, he encounters a number of issues that sidetracks their trip and makes things difficult to enjoy. However, with the love of his wife and the admiration of his young children, this Father may come to understand how beautiful life’s distresses can be.
It seems that the 1919/1920 point in time was Chaplin’s jumping off point. It appears to be that the films he wrote, produced, directed and/or acted in post 1919 produced a much bigger following and a greater appreciation than the ones that came before. Regardless of the timeframe, however, Chaplin is able to deliver a solid script and performance, as audiences around the world are able to see the silliness, yet preciseness, that is The Tramp (the recurring character the Chaplin is best known for in his films). A Day’s Pleasure finds Chaplin smack dab in the middle of his element, performing stunts that, at this time, may have been unprecedented, deliver countless laughs.
In just a short eighteen minutes, Chaplin is able to develop a character that wins the hearts of viewers. The Father is identifiable by many and allows audiences to see, with ease, a character that loves his family and finds the beauty within the little things in life. As the story progresses throughout A Day’s Pleasure, Chaplin’s Father character develops into something that I appreciated. He’s loving, caring and understanding in a way that most viewers should understand, appreciate and learn from.
I’m not entirely sure that the message is the primary reason for Chaplin’s films. He oftentimes presents audiences with laugh-out-loud comedy that keeps audiences engaged and provides them with a sense of relief from the sometimes cumbersome world in which they live. A Day’s Pleasure takes a slight turn in its approach to removing audiences from the real world. While the humor in this film is similar to what viewers have come to expect from Chaplin, the alternate approach to taking audiences down a road of solace and understanding is a nice change of pace. Rather than completely remove viewers from reality, Chaplin allows them the opportunity to appreciate the things that happen on a day-to-day basis.
Chaplin’s ability to adapt and find new ways to reach audiences in A Day’s Pleasure speaks to his ability as a writer, director, producer, actor and overall filmmaker. A Day’s Pleasure is unique, captivating and fun. It presents fun for the entire family that is over in the blink of an eye. The speed lends itself to young audiences, while the deep meaningful narrative presents itself nicely to an older and more mature crowd.
Written & Directed by Charles Chaplin. Starring Charles Chaplin, Edna Perviance, C. Allen, Naomi Bailey, Sallie Barr, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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