The Bank (1915 film)

The Bank is a silent slapstick comedy.^[1] It was Charlie Chaplin's tenth film for Essanay Films.

The Bank
Theatrical poster to The Bank
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Written by	Charlie Chaplin
Produced by	Jess Robbins
Starring	Charlie Chaplin Charles Inslee Carl Stockdale Edna Purviance Leo White
Cinematography	Harry Ensign
Edited by	Charlie Chaplin
Music by	Robert Israel (Kino video release)
Distributed by	Essanay Studios General Film Company
Release date	August 9, 1915 (1915-08-09)
Running time	33 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film English (original intertitles)

Released in 1915, it is a departure from the Tramp character, as Charlie Chaplin in this instance, plays a janitor in a bank. Edna Purviance plays the secretary on whom Charlie's character has a crush and dreams that she has fallen in love with him. Filmed at the Majestic Studio in Los Angeles. There is not much to be any evidence that this film was received any differently from the bulk of Chaplin's early work, but today this film is often considered one of his best efforts during his Essanay period.^[2]

Synopsis

The Bank

Charlie, feeling very important, enters the bank where he works. He descends to the vault and works its combination with great panache and opens the door. Charlie hangs his coat inside the vault and brings out his mop and bucket, signifying he is the bank's janitor. He causes typical havoc with his mop and then with his broom. Charlie sweeps one room and the other janitor sweeps the adjacent room. Instead of cleaning, they just sweep the rubbish from room to room, so it becomes the other's task.

Screenshot from the film

Charlie discovers a package containing a tie with a note attached to it, written by the bank's typist. It is addressed "To Charles with love from Edna." Charlie jumps to the wrong conclusion that Edna is in love with him, not realizing the package is intended for another Charles—the cashier. Charlie gets a bunch of flowers and places them lovingly on Edna's desk with a note "love from Charlie". When Edna is told by Charles the cashier that they are not from him but from Charlie the janitor, she coldly tosses them into the wastebasket. Charlie finds them there and is heartbroken. Charlie then has a dream in which he heroically thwarts a bank robbery, rescuing Edna in the process. He turns to kiss the now-adoring Edna—but then he wakes up. Charlie is kissing his mop—while Edna is kissing her cashier boyfriend.

Reception

In an August 1915 review for Variety, journalist Sime Silverman called it "the most legitimate comedy film Chaplin has played in many a long day, perhaps since he's been in pictures".^[3]

Cast

• Charlie Chaplin—Charlie, a Janitor
• Edna Purviance—Edna, a Secretary
• Carl Stockdale—Charles, a Cashier
• Charles Inslee—President of the bank
• Leo White—Clerk
• Billy Armstrong—Another Janitor
• Fred Goodwins—Bald Cashier/Bank Robber with Derby
• John Rand—Bank Robber and salesman
• Lloyd Bacon—Bank Robber
• Frank Coleman—Bank Robber
• Paddy McGuire—Cashier in White Coat
• Wesley Ruggles—Bank Customer
• Carrie Clark Ward—Bank Customer
• Lawrence A. Bowes—Bond Salesman