So much average

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin, have been for over a decade now. Many films and shorts of his are very good to masterpiece, and like many others consider him a comedy genius and one of film's most important and influential directors. From his post-Essanay period after leaving Keystone, 'The Count' is not one of his very best but is one of his best early efforts and among the better short films of his. It shows a noticeable step up in quality though from his Keystone period, where he was still evolving and in the infancy of his long career, from 1914, The Essanay and Mutual periods were something of Chaplin's adolescence period where his style had been found and starting to settle. Something that can be seen in the more than worthwhile 'The Count'. The story is more discernible than usual and is never dull, but is sometimes a bit too busy and manic.On the other hand, 'The Count' looks pretty good, not incredible but it was obvious that Chaplin was taking more time with his work and not churning out countless shorts in the same year of very variable success like he did with Keystone. Appreciate the importance of his Keystone period and there is some good stuff he did there, but the more mature and careful quality seen here and later on is obvious.While not one of his most hilarious or touching, 'The Count' is still very funny with some clever, entertaining and well-timed slapstick and has substance and pathos that generally were not there with Keystone. It moves quickly and there is no dullness in sight. The ending is great fun.Chaplin directs more than competently, if not quite cinematic genius standard yet. He also, as usual, gives an amusing and expressive performance and at clear ease with the physicality and substance of the role. The supporting cast acquit themselves well, particularly Eric Campbell.Overall, very enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Chaplin edited, wrote, directed, and produced his fifth film for the Mutual Film Corporation, and as with each of his previous films with the company, they're all a departure from the preceding film. In this film, Chaplin plays a tailor's assistant who gets fired from his job (by Eric Campbell) for his inability to properly measure a lady for a dress. He gets booted out by Campbell and happens upon a cook in a kitchen who almost immediately has to hide him from what appears to be her spouse or employer. Plenty of fun ensues as Chaplin does not care to be holed up in close quarters with a smelly or burned offering from the cook. Chaplin runs into his old boss in a glitzy mansion, as his boss is there to impersonate a count, so he can wed Miss Moneybags (played by Edna Purviance) and avoid toiling away as a tailor. His ex-boss quickly decides Chaplin can pose as his secretary, so he can continue his pursuit of Purviance as the "count". From here on in, chaos ensues. Chaplin ends up competing with his ex-boss for Purviance's hand, namely on the dance floor where Chaplin exhibits the most anatomically unfeasible dance moves one could imagine. There's plenty of fun at the dinner table also as spaghetti and watermelon are both served! Audiences loved when the common man got the better of the upper-crust, and so it's no wonder Chaplin used this idea of posing as or being mistaken for upper class society with regularity. However, in this film, the antics and plot development are much more harried than usual. *** of 4 stars.

Another one of those mistaken-identities and chased-by-the-cops Chaplin short, but hell, that's always funny! The story starts of with Charlie working in a tailor-shop. Great gags there while measuring a woman and destroying a jacket. Because he screws up he gets fired.Him and Campbell both attend to the party of Edna's 20th birthday, while actually a count was invited. When exposed, Charlie gets chased around the place and finally leaves into the distant.Pretty funny stuff from the master of slapstick. Not his best, but not his worst either. And a mediocre Chaplin still is way better than an average movie...7/10.

There's not much subtlety in "The Count", but there is some pretty good slapstick. Chaplin regular Eric Campbell gets a big role in this one, and he and Charlie always make a good pair of comic rivals. The settings offer some good props and comic possibilities, and the story and the cast make pretty good use of them, as well as the kind of identity mix-up that Chaplin liked to use. There is pretty good detail in some of the settings as well, making them rather interesting in their own right, as a small look into the daily life of 1916.Chaplin and Campbell have some good moments in their series of confrontations with one another, getting into a series of antics first in a tailor's shop and then at a formal dinner. The first part moves pretty slowly at times, but then things start to pick up, and there is a rather manic finale. Edna Purviance also appears, but she does not get a lot of material to work with this time.It's not among the best of Chaplin's shorts, but it's still worthwhile. There are no especially imaginative or innovative ideas here, but there is enough funny slapstick to make it worth seeing.