His Regeneration (1915) Online

This works all right, although it could probably have been better. The story concerns a brutish criminal (Broncho Billy Anderson) who goes through some experiences that cause him to reconsider his way of life - the kind of story that was fairly common in the two-reel features of the era. One problem is that for quite a while it wavers inconsistently between tension and slapstick, so that it's hard to tell where it is going. It's interesting to see Charlie Chaplin in a couple of the scenes, but he's really just a sidelight.

The story itself has a worthwhile point, but would have been even more effective in more skilled hands. Someone like D.W. Griffith could have made it easier for the audience to overlook the crucial coincidences in the plot, and could have evoked more emotion in the climactic scenes. It's not a bad movie, though; it's just that there are obvious ways it could have been better.

This is a short that is included in the 2nd Essanay Chaplin DVD from Blackhawk Films. It's the last on the DVD and is NOT a short starring Chaplin. In fact, it's a Bronco Billy short and Chaplin makes a couple walk-on appearances early in the film that has nothing to do with the film at all. It looked like while they were filming, Chaplin just jumped into the scene and then left several times JUST WHEN THE MOVIE FIRST BEGAN. After that, Chaplin's gone and the film without him, isn't interesting. So, this film is just for the die-hard fans of Chaplin who want to see everything Charlie did.

A better and much more satisfying uncredited Chaplin walk-on is the movie THE NUT. In this Douglas Fairbanks comedy, there is a show in which the hero pretends to imitate various famous people at a party. The Chaplin imitation REALLY IS CHAPLIN!!! Now that's funny!

Bronco Billy Anderson wrote, directed, and starred in this film about a burglar faced with possibly getting caught in the act. Anderson, who starred in and/or directed hundreds of films in the silent era, was known primarily for westerns. This film has a contemporary setting, and Anderson plays a burglar who could get turned in. Anderson is shot in an argument over a girl in a dance hall, and later he comes upon the same girl who helps him in an unexpected way. Redemption via a beautiful woman was a common theme in silent films, and somehow this was palatable to audiences of the time who may have been easily swayed by the new medium's ability to manipulate. Charles Chaplin has a few brief moments in the crowd scenes. Look fast for Lloyd Bacon and silent mainstay Snub Pollard. *1/2 of 4 stars.

Although this movie is considered as a Western (not only in IMDb), I don't think it fits well the genre. If you consider it as a Western, anyway, it is probably the only film of that genre in which Chaplin has taken part. Besides the initial credits say that it was "slightly assisted by Charles Chaplin", Charlie has also played the Tramp in a funny but unimportant scene in the saloon, which is the only interesting scene in the whole film, which I consider very boring. One year afterwards Chaplin made a remake of this film, "Police", which is much better and is not a Western for sure. The story of the criminal redeemed by a beautiful blondie is basically the same, but having the Tramp as the thief and not only as a flirting customer in a bar makes everything different.

Very mixed in genre, "His Regeneration" has some Charlie Chaplin comedy and some Gilbert "Broncho Billy" Anderson drama -- but there is nothing especially Western or cowboy-ish about this film.

The version I saw had no sound track, no added music, and there were no intertitles, but almost always a viewer could tell just what was going on and what the characters were doing and even thinking.

Anderson wrote the scenario, directed the film, and starred in it, and deserves huge plaudits for all three jobs.

I'd like to know more about this production, including how Anderson got Chaplin to appear without credit, and more about the other players.

Anderson shows in this short -- less than 15 minutes -- feature that he could act, that he could create a character and demonstrate ability in expressing action and emotion.

This is truly a remarkable production for 1915 and well deserving to be watched by motion picture fans and by, perhaps especially, students of motion picture history.

It's available at YouTube.

The main reason why 'His Regeneration' was seen in the first place was for Charlie Chaplin. Am a fan of his and consider him an important influence in film responsible for some masterpieces like 'City Lights', 'The Gold Rush' and 'Modern Times'. There were misfires in his career, namely the worst Keystone shorts but other talents have had far bigger misfires.

Although still fairly early on in his career and this being made during the Essanay period of his career where he properly started to grow, he is always worth watching and even his early films have interest value. Actually found his Essanay period to show a vast step up in quality than his variable Keystone efforts overall, all up to this point worth watching and a few very good even.

Chaplin is certainly the best thing about 'His Regeneration' as well as its notable interest point. He shows the most personality and is amusing and expressive.

The film also looks pretty reasonable while not amazing, and there are a few amusing and charming moments.

Having said that, Chaplin's appearance is short, for a talent of his calibre too short, it's only a few minutes at most and that didn't do him justice, and not some of his best material. Actually felt that it belonged somewhere else, it stuck out like a sore thumb quality-wise and holds little relevance. That's even when it's the most interesting and funniest 'His Regeneration' gets.

Elsewhere it is pretty dull with not much interesting going on in the over-stretched and thin story, lacks charm and is too predictable and clumsy to get any freshness or proper fun from it. The rest of the cast don't have anywhere near as much charisma or personality and struggle to keep the lacking material afloat.

All in all, lacklustre. 4/10 Bethany Cox