Early Chaplin: The Immigrant (1917)

A number of early Charles Chaplin two-reel comedy shorts are available on the internet for free (and legally, too). The Immigrant, released June 17, 1917, was the eleventh of twelve shorts he made for Mutual Pictures and is considered by many to be the best short he ever made. The Library of Congress included it in the National Film Registry in 1998.

In it you will see many of Chaplin's signature elements, including a damsel in distress (here, Edna Purviance, who made more movies with Chaplin than any other actress), the poor being pushed around and, of course, Chaplin as The Tramp.