THE IDLE CLASS (1921) *** Golf in the ruins. Beautiful elevator music. The opening credits of Charlie Chaplin movies are always so great. "Written, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin. Music by Charlie Chaplin." It's already like a little kid movie. I'm absolutely convinced, after watching Mr. Chaplin, Rowan Atkinson, and others; that the problem is not in the game of golf itself, but in the manner of people who play it. I mean, if you're that sub-strata of humanity that can't even be interesting drinking, what are you supposed to do? The answer is to take refuge in something (mistakenly believed to be) inherently boring, and hope that you won't be found out. Chaplin has no such problems, particularly given his fiendishly clever plot: two fellows, both looking exactly like Chaplin mind you, one rich and the other a tramp. One drinks, and the other plays golf, but perhaps not the one you might expect. Tremendously realized marriage of music and mime, flagrant disregard for choreography and blocking. I'm just not sure which is supposed to be the idle class.
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