The Professor

Plot

Professor Bosco, a destitute flea trainer, rents a bed in a crowded flophouse and prepares for sleep after carefully tending to his trained fleas. He addresses his tiny performers like a general addressing troops, ensuring they're settled in their box for the night. Disaster strikes when he accidentally knocks the box off his bed, releasing the fleas who wreak havoc on the sleeping residents, tormenting them with their bites. The Professor must employ his whip and training expertise to recapture his escaped troupe and restore order to the flophouse. Just as peace is achieved, a stray dog wanders in and foolishly opens the flea box once more, unleashing a new wave of chaos upon the unsuspecting sleepers.

Historical Background

The Professor was created in 1919, during the aftermath of World War I and during a transformative period in Chaplin's career. The film industry was transitioning from shorts to features, and Chaplin was negotiating his independence from studios. This was the year before Chaplin co-founded United Artists with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith, giving artists unprecedented control over their work. The post-war period saw audiences seeking escapism and comedy, with Chaplin at the peak of his global popularity. The film's flophouse setting reflects the social realities of many veterans and workers struggling with housing and employment after the war. Chaplin's experimentation with different characters during this period shows his artistic ambition and desire to evolve beyond the Tramp persona that had made him famous.

Making Of

The Professor was filmed during a particularly productive but challenging period in Chaplin's career. He was under contract with First National but growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of creative control. The film was shot alongside other projects, with Chaplin experimenting with different character types beyond his famous Tramp. According to Chaplin's autobiography, he abandoned the project because 'the gags wouldn't develop' and he couldn't find the right rhythm for the comedy. The flea training concept required innovative miniature photography and special effects that were technically demanding for 1919. Chaplin's perfectionism led him to shelve the footage rather than release something he considered subpar. The film's abandonment demonstrates Chaplin's commitment to quality over quantity, even at the height of his fame.

Visual Style

The cinematography in The Professor shows Chaplin's continued innovation in visual comedy, particularly in the elaborate flea training sequences. The camera work required extreme close-ups and careful focus to create the illusion of trained fleas performing tricks. Chaplin and his cinematographer Roland Totheroh experimented with miniature photography techniques that were advanced for 1919. The flophouse setting allowed for the kind of multi-level composition that Chaplin favored, with action occurring in different planes of the frame. The lighting techniques used to highlight the tiny flea box and its contents demonstrate the sophistication of Chaplin's studio operation. The surviving footage shows Chaplin's mastery of visual storytelling and his ability to create comedy through precise camera placement and movement.

Innovations

The Professor demonstrated significant technical innovation in its miniature photography and special effects. The flea training sequences required custom-built miniature props and sophisticated camera techniques to create the illusion of tiny performers. Chaplin's team developed innovative methods for filming small-scale action while maintaining comedic clarity. The film's production coincided with advances in film stock sensitivity, allowing for better close-up photography. The multiple takes and careful editing required for the flea gags show Chaplin's growing sophistication in film construction. While unfinished, the footage demonstrates Chaplin's role in pushing the technical boundaries of silent comedy filmmaking.

Music

As a silent film, The Professor would have been accompanied by live musical accompaniment in theaters. Since it was never released, no original score was composed. Modern releases of the surviving footage typically feature period-appropriate piano or orchestral scores. The music would have needed to support the delicate comedy of the flea training sequences as well as the broader physical comedy of the flophouse chaos. Chaplin's films often featured leitmotifs for different characters and situations, and it's likely The Professor would have followed this pattern with distinct musical themes for Professor Bosco and his flea troupe.

Memorable Scenes

• The elaborate opening sequence where Professor Bosco addresses his flea troupe like a general reviewing troops, the chaos that ensues when the fleas escape and torment the sleeping flophouse residents, the climactic scene where the Professor uses his whip to recapture the trained fleas, the moment when the stray dog inadvertently releases the fleas for a second round of mayhem

What Critics Said

Since The Professor was never released during Chaplin's lifetime, it received no contemporary critical reception. However, modern film scholars and critics who have examined the surviving footage generally view it as a fascinating but incomplete experiment. Critics note that while the concept shows Chaplin's characteristic creativity, the abandoned footage demonstrates his discerning judgment in not releasing material that didn't meet his standards. The film is often discussed in Chaplin biographies and film studies as an example of his perfectionism and artistic integrity. Contemporary critics who have seen the footage in archival collections often comment on the technical sophistication of the flea training sequences and Chaplin's willingness to step outside his Tramp character.

What Audiences Thought

The Professor never received an audience reception during Chaplin's era as it was never released to the public. Modern audiences have only been able to view the incomplete footage through Chaplin archive releases and special collections. Those who have seen the surviving footage generally express fascination with this rare glimpse into an abandoned Chaplin project, though many note that it's clear why Chaplin chose not to complete the film. The footage serves more as a historical curiosity than as a complete entertainment experience, and audiences typically view it with interest in Chaplin's process rather than as a finished comedy short.

You Might Also Like