About The Immigrant

The Immigrant, released in 1917, is a Charlie Chaplin short film. The film portrays the journey of an immigrant coming to the United States in search of a better life. Chaplin's character faces a series of comedic obstacles and difficulties including a dicey journey over the ocean, highway robbery and petty thievery, misunderstandings in a restaurant, and finally falling in love with a fellow immigrant portrayed by Edna Purviance. This movie is largely seen as a comedic critique on the hardships faced by immigrants during that era.

Making / Production

The movie was directed and written by Charlie Chaplin himself. Produced by Mutual Film Corporation, The Immigrant is one among the twelve movies made by Charlie Chaplin for the corporation. Despite being a short film, it captured the audience's attention and gained massive popularity upon its release.

Actors

• Charlie Chaplin played the lead role, portraying the experience of an immigrant. His comic charm and eloquent performances were key in making this movie a success.
• Edna Purviance played the love interest of Chaplin's character. Her performance was marked by convincing expressions and outstanding chemistry with Chaplin.
• Eric Campbell played the role of a restaurant owner whose interactions with Chaplin's character results in comedic moments in the movie.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• It has been noted that The Immigrant was one of the first movies to ever depict the story of immigrants in America.
• This was one of Chaplin's most popular films, despite the fact that he expressed dissatisfaction with its production.
• Many of the scenes in the film drew upon Chaplin's personal experiences and his encounters with poverty and struggling immigrants.

Quotes

• 'I'm sorry, but I do not believe in luck for gamblers.' - Charlie Chaplin
• 'Life is a beautiful thing if you don't weaken.' - Charlie Chaplin
• 'We have no money, but we're millionaires in happiness!' - Edna Purviance

Music, Soundtrack

• Being a silent film, The Immigrant did not have a traditional soundtrack. However, performances were often accompanied by live orchestral music in theaters.