Review of The Pilgrim (1923) by Byron B — 15 Apr 2012

This is another Chaplin film dealing with a touchy subject, religion, and still being hilarious without being offensive to anyone as well. This was his last short for First National and was an early indication at how his style had developed and progressed and a basis for what his feature lengths would entail.

Charlie is mistaken for a minister when indeed he is a wanted man, albeit one with a good conscious and he demonstrates it when fighting off a robber from his border's house. Eventually he is knocked out and the money stolen but he goes after the crook and through some clever devising gets the money back and returns it to it's rightful owner.

A policeman has no choice but to arrest him but shows mercy in light of his good deed and lets him out at the Mexican border so he can stay a free man. Of course the second he steps over three men come out shooting at one another and Charlie takes off hopping between both boundaries away from the chaos.