Arriving late for work on the construction site is not a good idea when you're trying to earn enough money to keep some back from your domineering wife. That is just the situation our hero finds himself in though, but it doesn't stop him enough a drink or five from night through to early morning.
An afternoon of Charlie Chaplin shorts and features was mine recently as I tried to catch up on some things I had not seen before. Pay Day was one of those short films and while being roundly good, it is still an affair of two halves. The first half has some great bits in it, the reverse filmed bricklaying sequence being my favourite but the service elevator stuff is as good but in different ways. The second half is nearly as good but is too dominated by the device of drunkenness for my liking. That said it does still have some laugh-out-loud moments in there but for sure the first half is the strongest.
Chaplin delivers with strength as usual. Whether it be his work with his face or his ability to work in reverse on the brick sequence, he is quite brilliant and you can see here some of the reasons that his name is mentioned when discussing genius. The support cast is not as important here as in some other films, as Chaplin tends to play off things more than people here. Still, regulars Swain, Perviance, Bergman and others are all here.
Overall then a generally funny and enjoyable short film with Chaplin on inventive good form even if the second half is not quite up to the level of the first.