The Face on the Barroom Floor (1914) | Directed by Charlie Chaplin
Watch The Face on the Barroom Floor (1914) - Restored
Plot
A worn-out drifter walks into a busy bar and starts sharing how he once fell in love, only to lose the woman to one of his own friends. He is drunk and keeps trying to sketch her face on the floor with a piece of chalk, which leads to arguments and scuffles with other men around him. By the end of the night he collapses, completely passed out.
Film historian Gerald D. McDonald notes that the movie’s title cards were adapted from the poem it was based on, but the verses were changed to fit Keystone’s lighthearted approach that treated life as a kind of rough, unpredictable comedy.
Review Summary: “The Face on the Barroom Floor” (1914)
Looking back at The Face on the Barroom Floor, it’s easy to see why reactions to this early Chaplin short are so mixed. Viewers who know the 19th-century poem it draws from tend to appreciate the film more, since much of its humor plays off the original verses. Without that context, the short can feel thin, uneven, or even confusing, especially when watching one of the many poorly edited prints that have circulated over the years.
Several reviewers point out that this film is far from Chaplin’s sharpest work. The comedy is mild, the pacing wobbles, and the barroom chaos doesn’t always land as well as it does in his later productions. Some viewers found the story disjointed, noting inconsistent costumes, awkward edits, and sequences that seem out of place. Others felt the slapstick was repetitive and lacked the polish Chaplin eventually became famous for.
That said, there is still plenty here for Chaplin fans to appreciate. Many reviewers highlight how interesting it is to watch Chaplin experiment with tone, mixing broad physical comedy with early hints of pathos. In this short he plays variations of the Tramp before the character fully evolved, and several people mention how refreshing it is to see him attempt more straightforward acting. The satire of the poem, small flashes of visual humor, and the exaggerated casting choices add charm once you understand the references behind them.
Modern restorations have also helped this film’s reputation. Cleaned-up versions with proper intertitles and music allow the structure and intent to come through more clearly. Some viewers who initially dismissed the film later changed their opinion after seeing a restored print, calling it one of the stronger Keystone shorts when watched as originally intended.
Overall, The Face on the Barroom Floor is not a comedic standout, but it is an important piece of Chaplin’s early development. It shows him moving beyond chaotic slapstick toward more character-driven storytelling. For casual fans, it may feel slight. For anyone interested in Chaplin’s growth as an artist, or in the evolution of silent-era comedy, it’s a short worth watching at least once.
Trivia
The film takes inspiration from the 1887 poem The Face upon the Barroom Floor, adapted by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy, though Chaplin’s version plays with the tone and structure for comic effect.
It is one of the 34 short films featured in the Chaplin at Keystone DVD collection, which showcases his earliest work and the period when he was still shaping the Tramp’s character.
The original 1914 UK release removed about 27 seconds of footage, which was not unusual at the time due to censorship practices and regional editing standards.
Critics
Critics have always had mixed feelings about The Face on the Barroom Floor. Many point out that it isn’t one of Chaplin’s strongest early works, noting its loose structure, uneven pacing, and reliance on basic slapstick. Others argue that, despite its flaws, the short holds value because it hints at Chaplin’s growth as a performer and storyteller. Reviewers who are familiar with the original poem also tend to appreciate the film more, since its humor and parody land better when seen in context. Overall, the critical response recognizes the film as an interesting early step in Chaplin’s evolution, even if it doesn’t reach the quality of his later classics.
Key Cast and Crew
This short is notable as the first film Chaplin directed based on a literary source, co-writing the screenplay with the poet "Hugh Antoine d'Arcy".
Film Details and Restoration
- Director:
- Charles Chaplin
- Writers:
- Hugh Antoine d'Arcy, Charles Chaplin
- Starring:
- Charles Chaplin, Cecile Arnold, Jess Dandy, Vivian Edwards, Edward Nolan, Chester Conklin, Minta Durfee, and others.
- Production Company:
- Keystone Film Company
- Release Date:
- August 10, 1914
- Runtime:
- 14 minutes
- Color/Sound:
- Black and White / Silent
- License:
- PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK / “No Known Copyright”
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