Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

MartinHafer I've seen this film several times as well as clips from it. It seems that it is among his most famous shorts and it deserves the recognition. However, I must first say that when NOT skating, the movie definitely slows and is less funny. However, seeing Charlie on skates is a rare treat, as he was quite accomplished and seeing traditional slapstick done on skates was an amazing accomplishment. Plus, although Mack Swain (Charlie's nemesis) is shown as a guy who can't skate, it's obvious he was actually quite accomplished on skates as well to take all the wonderful falls. All-in-all, a breezy and fresh comedy short worth your time.FYI--if you like seeing Chaplin skate, also try watching his full-length silent film CITY LIGHTS (1931). At one point midway through the film, he does a wonderful skating segment while a security guard at a department store. Great stuff.

Cineanalyst I have and always will hold this short film in high regard. I don't recall when I first saw "The Rink", but I remember being taken aback by the graceful eloquence of Chaplin's skating. It has figured prominently in my memory since--especially in playing back the first moment when Chaplin rolls onto the rink. This must be what the French critics were referring to when they compared him to ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinksy. Chaplin skated again in "Modern Times" (1936), but for some reason, perhaps because there's so much more going on in that feature-length film, it hasn't had the same affect on me."The Rink" also reminds me of the earliest film I've seen of Chaplin's comedic forerunner and prominent influence Max Linder. In that very short film, of which no two sources seem to agree on the date or the exact title, Max skated on the ice, or, rather, attempted to skate; the humor supposedly being in the many pratfalls. There are plenty of pratfalls in Chaplin's film, but they're in addition to his elegant movements on the rink floor.In "The Rink", the agile skating makes for a nice contrast to the knockabout slapstick that the film is otherwise. Chaplin, by now, had managed to balance these two contrasting styles, and it makes for a very entertaining short. The direction almost seems intended to point out the differences in the styles; there are, as common then, many jump cuts when Chaplin's causing mayhem at the restaurant, but when he's skating, there are flowing, seamless camera movements. The restaurant gags, for the most part, aren't bad, either. Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell and other regulars aid in the fun, including Henry Bergman in the oft done but still funny drag role.

the amorphousmachine What can I say about a 20 minute short entitled 'The Rink'? I guess, that it's really the first Chaplin short I've seen. I haven't seen that many silent movies. Basically, Charlie Chaplin's The Tramp messes up a restaurant, and then goes roller-skating in order to impress The Girl. It's easy to understand why Chaplin was so popular, and why films like these made audiences laugh. He was a talented man, and truly unique with visual humour and timing! More fascinating than actually funny while watching this short, however, you will probably watch it with a wry smile on your face looking at the way comedy was done back then with it's exaggerated make-up jobs and The Tramp's constant causation of trouble! It's kind of cute! Baby cinema taking it's early steps in the form of Charlie Chaplin! Oh yeah, and expect to be impressed Chaplin's footwork whilst roller-skating. Even though the footage is sped up slightly, his movement and body positions for the purposes of comedy is extremely impressive. I liked this short, but like I said; more from fascination than storyline or laughs.***½ out of *****!

Snow Leopard There isn't a lot of subtlety to "The Rink", but it does have some entertaining slapstick and some traces of some of Chaplin's favorite themes. The first part in the restaurant has both good moments and routine stretches, and then things liven up when everyone gets their skates on - the action combines tangled relationships with tangled limbs. Although he has his character take a good assortment of slips and falls, in so doing Chaplin also demonstrates his physical skill, and his performance anticipates his more famous roller skating scene in "Modern Times". It's probably not among his best short features, but all the same it's one that Chaplin fans will want to see.