A shipowner intends to scuttle his ship on its last voyage to get the insurance money. Charlie, a tramp in love with the owner's daughter, is grabbed by the captain and promises to help him shanghai some seamen. The daughter stows away to follow Charlie. Charlie assists in the galley and attempts to serve food during a gale.
An early Chaplin short built almost entirely from slapstick in cramped spaces: deck, galley and brawls every few seconds. The pace is high, the gags are physical and rough, and the rolling sea turns serving food into a choreography of failure. Charlie is still rowdier and more roguish here than in his later, gentler roles.
Good for you if you like short silent comedies where physical gags and timing carry everything.
Written with AI, based on TMDb data.