A rough criminal gets into an argument over a girl in a dance hall. The argument turns into a fight, and the criminal is shot. As everyone else looks on, a young woman comes to his aid, and it turns out that he is not seriously wounded. He still remembers the woman who helped him when, later, he is committing a burglary and gets a surprise that will change his life.

An animated Charlie Chaplin must find a white elephant for the girl he loves. He resorts to trickery, but is foiled by Fatty.

A home movie version of the Dumas play: a young woman becomes a courtesan and tragedy befalls her.

1942 re-issue version, prepared by Chaplin himself, which uses his own narration, music score, and editing (running time: 72 minutes). This version is the only one which has its copyright owned by the Chaplin Film company. Many scenes of the 1942 version derived from an alternate camera that was shooting simultaneously. This explains some of the very slight differences in camera angle, although Chaplin also deleted some footage in order to tighten the pacing (such as Big Jim and the Tramp's near-encounter in the Gold Rush town and the shot of a woman comforting another woman during the singing of "Auld Lang Syne".)

A look back at Charlie Chaplin's early life and career, from his rough childhood and music hall success in England to his early Hollywood days and the development of his enormously popular "Little Tramp" character.