The twelve short film comedies that Charlie Chaplin produced for the Mutual Film Company in 1916/17 rank among his best works. In BEHIND THE SCREEN, which was not shown in Germany until July 1922, Chaplin plays the assistant of a burly property man and causes chaos in a film studio. For international distribution, Chaplin edited together several negatives from different takes, with the best »A« negative reserved for the domestic market. In the course of the restoration of all of Chaplin’s Mutual films in 2013/14, footage from the superior »A« negative was utilised for the first time.
For half an hour on end I laughed as I had not laughed since I saw Jeanne Granier and Guy and Brasseur and Lavallier in “L’Habit Vert.” There is more real fun in BEHIND THE SCREEN than in all the “revues” put together, judging by those which I have endured. How is it that any paltry piece at a theatre is noticed in all the newspapers, while no one tells us when there is something good to be seen on the films? The whole of this ingenious farce is entertaining. The idea of taking us “behind the screen” among the producers and actors of film-plays is a bright one to start off with. The whole thing moves briskly without a single dull scene. And as for Charlie Chaplin, why, this despised droll of the “movies” is a comedian of the first rank. His economy of means is masterly. He never, in this piece at any rate, either overdoes his facial expression or misses an effect.
So far as I can judge, this is by far the most genuine and outstanding genius for comicality that the kinema has brought to light. He is a national asset, if entertainment is so needful as the Director of National Service, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, suggests. We ought to employ the best authors available to fit him with parts.
Hamilton Fyfe, in: The Daily Mail, London, March 10, 1917
