The Star Boarder (1914) - Charlie Chaplin Old Colorized Movie

           

The Domestic Chaos of 'The Star Boarder'

           

**"The Star Boarder" (1914)**, also known as *The Fatal Lantern*, is a pivotal early short film because it features Charlie Chaplin's **Little Tramp** persona in its recognizably full form—including the iconic mustache, cane, and baggy trousers—in a theatrically released work. This comedy explores a theme common to Keystone shorts: jealousy and misunderstandings leading to an explosive fight.

Synopsis: A Picture Worth a Thousand Fights

The plot centers on Charlie, the titular **Star Boarder**, who enjoys the favoritism of the landlady (**Minta Durfee**). This attention naturally provokes the intense jealousy of her husband (**Edgar Kennedy**), who suspects an inappropriate relationship. The central plot device is a small boy with a camera, who innocently snaps photos of various couples in ambiguous situations. He captures images of Charlie and the landlady that look compromising, as well as similar photos of his father and a female guest.

The conflict explodes that evening during a slide show. When the "equivocal photos" of both Charlie and the landlady, and the husband and his guest, are projected onto the screen, the husband's jealousy turns into fury. This triggers a massive brawl involving Charlie, the husband, the landlady, and all the other boarding-house guests, culminating in a signature chaotic Keystone ending.

Historical Context: A Step Towards Character

Directed by **George Nichols**, this film moves Chaplin slightly away from the purely frantic, aggressive slapstick of his very first efforts toward a character who, though still mischievous, is more sympathetic and clearly the focus of the humor. The "slide show" sequence is a clever narrative device that allows the misunderstandings to compound publicly and dramatically, marking a slight evolution in Chaplin's comedic storytelling at Keystone.

       

           

Film Details and Restoration

           

Director:

George Nichols

               

Writer:

Unknown (Uncredited)

               

Starring:

Charles Chaplin, Minta Durfee, Edgar Kennedy

               

Production Company:

Keystone Film Company

               

Release Date:

April 4, 1914

Country of Origin:

United States

               

Genres:

Short, Comedy, Slapstick

               

Runtime:

11 minutes 27 seconds (Approx)

               

Colorized by:

AI Colorization

           

       

                   

Watch The Star Boarder (1914) - Colorized HD

           

Witness one of the earliest appearances of the Little Tramp persona.

               

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