description One A.M. Overview
"One A.M." is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, released as part of his Mutual Film contract. The film is distinct within Chaplin's body of work for featuring him almost entirely alone on screen, abandoning his traditional Tramp persona for the role of an inebriated wealthy socialite. The narrative consists almost exclusively of a prolonged physical struggle as the heavily intoxicated man attempts to navigate his multi-level home and get to bed. It relies heavily on vaudevillian prop comedy and Chaplin's masterful physical coordination.
help One A.M. FAQ
Is Charlie Chaplin really the only performer in One A.M.?
Chaplin dominates almost the entire short as a drunken man returning to an empty house. Albert Austin appears briefly as the taxi driver, making the 1916 film effectively a near-solo physical-comedy showcase.
Why does the staircase become such a problem in One A.M.?
Chaplin's character is too intoxicated to navigate the stairs, a folding table, slippery rugs, and a revolving bed. Ordinary furniture becomes a sequence of mechanical obstacles that repeatedly defeats him.
Was One A.M. made during Chaplin's Mutual Film period?
Yes. Chaplin made the short for the Mutual Film Corporation in 1916, during a period that also produced The Floorwalker, The Pawnshop, and The Rink.
How long is One A.M. compared with Chaplin's feature films?
One A.M. is a two-reel short running roughly half an hour, depending on projection speed and the surviving edition. It is much shorter than later Chaplin features such as The Kid and City Lights.
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