'Charlie’ on the Ocean

Series

Series Name

Topical Budget

Issue

Issue No.

524-2

Date Released

12 Sep 1921

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1'Charlie’ on the Ocean

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 1

Summary

[1ST SUBTITLE]: "Exclusive pictures of the voyage home of the great little man who has spread sunshine and laughter round the whole globe." Chaplin on deck with statue of Liberty in background. Medium shot looking down at people on deck; Chaplin enters, shaking hands. People lift him onto their shoulders and show him to the camera. [2ND SUBTITLE]: "The only cine operator to accompany the best loved man in the world from New York to Southampton was from the Topical Budget". Short sequence from ‘The Champion’ (Chaplin shares his last sausage with his pet bulldog). Close-up of Chaplin on the boat. [3RD SUBTITLE]: "Au revoir to Mary and Douglas". Chaplin with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. [4TH SUBTITLE]: "Goodbye to New York; only a few years ago ‘Charlie’ landed here a poor and unknown lad". SS ‘Olympic’ steams out of New York harbour and Chaplin waves farewell. [5TH SUBTITLE]: "Showing them how to do it". Face-on view as Chaplin demonstrates his walk and gestures. He directs members of the crew as they attempt to imitate him in turn. He gives another demonstration, then gives a tip [?] to one of them, walks off and waves goodbye. [6TH SUBTITLE]: "Keeping fit". View down at Chaplin pitching and catching a baseball in front of a group of people. Close shot of Chaplin helping a man dressed in bowler hat and moustache in imitation of him. [7TH SUBTITLE]: "Adoration". Close shot of Chaplin talking to a small boy. Close shot of him signing his autograph for a girl. [8TH SUBTITLE]: "Charlie’s Circus". View down at people playing on deck dressed as animals, including two as an elephant, walking over upturned pails. [9TH SUBTITLE]: "'Greets his home-kin at Southampton’". The SS ‘Olympic’ in Southampton harbour. View from quayside up at Chaplin, who doffs his hat to the camera. Chaplin and other coming down gangplank. [10TH SUBTITLE]: "A terrific welcome at Waterloo". Car carrying Chaplin with men clinging to its sides, and headed by two mounted policemen, drives away from the station through large crowds which follow behind. Sequence filmed from moving car ahead of Chaplin’s. Chaplin seen sitting in open section at the back of his car, filmed from vehicle overtaking; he waves to the camera. [11TH SUBTITLE]: "Scenes at the Ritz". Medium shot looking down at car moving slowly through a mass of people, with Chaplin standing at the back. Close shot from within the crowd as Chaplin stands and acknowledges the greetings of the crowd from the now stationary car. Reverse view angled down at same scene with people looking up at Chaplin. Medium shot looking down at police struggling as they guide Chaplin through the crowd to the barriers in front of the doors of the Ritz hotel. Chaplin looks through hotel window and throws money [?] to the crowd below. [12TH SUBTITLE]: "Charlie’s wireless message to the British Public through ‘TOPICAL’. SS Olympic. Editor. Topical Budget. I wish that I could be capable of expressing my sincere appreciation for the manner in which I have been welcomed by my Kin in the Homeland. All that I can say is that I have been deeply touched, and my gratitude will be everlasting. It is all too wonderful to think about, it is like a dream. Faithfully, Charlie". Final close-up of Chaplin.

Keywords

Ships and boats; Vehicles; Performing arts

Length of story (in feet)

372

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name

British Film Institute (BFI)

Email

For BFI National Archive enquiries:
nonfictioncurators@bfi.org.uk
For commercial/footage reuse enquiries:
footage.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7580 7503

Address

21 Stephen Street
London W1T 1LN

Notes

The BFI National Archive also preserves the original nitrate film copies of British Movietone News, British Paramount News, Empire News Bulletin, Gaumont British News, Gaumont Graphic, Gaumont Sound News and Universal News (the World War II years are covered by the Imperial War Museum).

Series held

View all series held by British Film Institute (BFI)