A Dog’s Life is about a homeless Charlie Chaplin who bonds with a street dog. Chaplin falls in love and settles down with his true love and his dog. The film began with a long shot showing Chaplin’s face smeared with soot and dressed in torn clothing. Viewers see Chaplin and know he’s homeless, they know he’s hungry, and tired. The shot creates an initial bond with the character, helping to understand his livelihood and hardships. Throughout the beginning of the film, Chaplin uses parallel action to set up a connection between himself and his soon to be pet. By creating this “meanwhile” the viewers are separately introduced to the dog which helps build its character. Because viewers knew Chaplin and the dog individually, their union had dimensions that wouldn’t have shown if we only knew Chaplin. 

Once the love interest is introduced Chaplin’s use of facial expression flourishes. Fake snot and tears come pouring out of every character’s face as the love interest begins to sing on stage. The very fake looking fluids humorously illustrate the singing woman’s beauty to the viewers. Even when we can’t hear the woman we know her singing is beautiful and that makes her beautiful. A simple gag introduced the singing woman to the audience effortlessly and effectively. Once the three main characters were established, the dilemma became prominent. Charlie uses slapstick comedy to steal money for him and his new love, adding a lighthearted element to all of the dramatics. Although the money was then stolen back from Chaplin, it was easy to follow the rudimentary plot line to its happy ending. Viewers root for the characters so much that the happy ending works. Although predictable, the film’s lighthearted nature made it a worthwhile watch.