An edit in The Pawnshop

I was watching 'The Pawnshop' today. My favourite scene in it has always been, and still is, when Albert Austin brings in the clock to pawn and Charlie investigates it. Apart from the humour, the thing that always impressed me about the scene is that the first shot lasts about three minutes. Or so I thought. In the copy I have, the David Shepard 1995 restoration, about seventy seconds into the first shot there's a jump in the image. I always thought this was just damage to the source print, but now I see it's an edit in of a different take. This can be easily seen by the fact that a top hat appears under the tambourine on the wall behind Chaplin.

Is this how the film was originally released, or has Shepard, or someone else, made the edit? Anyone else have a different version?

- Rob

No, it is not the way the film was originally released. The original sequence was as follows:

1. first long shot in which CC inspects the clock. 2. insert close-up of CC's hands opening the clock with a can opener. 3. second long shot from a higher, somewhat different angle, for the purpose of showing the 'innards' squirming on the counter. 4. insert close-up of Albert Austin viewing the proceedings with alarm

Etc. The jump cut you note is where the insert close-up (2) originally was.

How do I know this? I have it in an 8mm print, an 'old' Blackhawk.

Where did it go in most prints? No idea!

Connie K.

Connie, I'm pleased to read that you were a film on film collector! Let's hear it for good ol' 8mm!

Actually I'm new to the game and too restricted in spendable assests to be a really avid collector, which is why I haven't contributed to your collection thread.

It was Phil who collected this one, and swapped it in exchange for Madacy II.

Connie K.