查理（查理·卓别林 Charles Chaplin 饰）是一个居无定所的流浪汉，陪伴着他的只有一把小提琴，每当心情沮丧的时候，查理都会拉响他的小提琴，悠扬的乐声总是能够帮助他重新找回快乐。一次偶然中，查理遇见了一位被虐待的姑娘（艾德娜·珀薇安丝 Edna Purviance 饰），善良的他挺身而出救下了姑娘，带着她一起流浪。虽然不能够为这个姑娘提供多么优渥的物质条件，但查理至少能够保证不让她受到一丁点的伤害。

当时正值美国经济不景气时期，物价暴涨，失业率上升，工人工资下降，以致罢工潮四起。卓别林扮演针砭时弊、讽刺资本家和统治者的流浪汉，在欢笑和滑稽的背后是人生的凄苦与悲凉.

在塞维利亚生活着一群吉普赛人，他们的生活十分贫苦。他们想迁到别的地方希望过上好日子。但有一个军队驻扎的关口他们是无法通过的。于是他们就让他们中间最漂亮的姑娘卡门去引诱军队的首领唐·罗斯。好色的罗斯很快就拜倒在了卡门的石榴裙下，就在他和卡门卿卿我我的时候，吉普赛人正在从关口通过…

Three movies are being shot simultaneously and Charlie is an overworked scene shifter. The foreman is waited on hand and foot until all the shifters but Charlie go on strike. A girl looking for work pretends to be a man and helps Charlie. Charlie discovers her gender and falls in love with her. The foreman thinks they are homosexual and in the ensuing fight they become involved...

Charlie is released from prison and immediately swindled by a fake parson. A fellow ex-convict convinces Charlie to help burglarize a house, but Edna, the house's owner, catches them and calls the police. Charlie, however, manages to charm his way out of trouble .... at least for the moment.

卓别林为“第一国家影片公司"拍摄的首部电影，片长三卷。卓别林在本片中把流浪汉的生活与狗的生活有趣地构成对比，他与它都同样要挣扎求存，并且忍受社会各阶层将他们踢来踢去。卓别林从本片开始思考到喜剧的结构问题，每一个段落均互相关连而构成一个整体。由于结构完整，使这部在内容上仍然是表现流浪流夏尔洛在贫民窑和酒店被警察追得东奔西跑的喜剧显得笑中有泪。

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.

Three Chaplin silent comedies "A Dog's Life", "Shoulder Arms", and "The Pilgrim" are strung together to form a single feature length film.

Charlie competes with his fellow shop assistant. He is fired by the pawnbroker and rehired. He nearly destroys everything in the shop and and himself. He helps capture a burglar. He destroys a client's clock while examining it in detail.

Charlie and friends illustrate various bonds in life and the most important, Liberty Bonds for the war...

影片讲述玻璃匠夏尔洛（查理·卓别林 Charles Chaplin饰）和弃婴（杰基·考甘 Jackie Coogan饰）之间一段笑中有泪的感人故事。夏尔洛在垃圾箱旁发现了一个弃婴并收养了他。等到孩子长到四五岁的时候，就已经非常懂事。两父子合演双簧，儿子打碎玻璃，父亲就上 前更换玻璃从而养家糊口。夏尔洛带着“儿子”躲避警察的追捕，以免他被送入孤儿院。可孩子的母亲后来有了钱，悬赏找回孩子。有人为钱把孩子从夏尔洛身边偷走，他四处追查也没有找到。疲惫的夏尔洛在梦中来到了天堂。一觉醒来的他，居然发现“儿子”跟他的母亲就站在自己的眼前……

卓别林（查理·卓别林 Charles Chaplin 饰）把家安排妥当后，要带领全家外出游玩，准备轻松愉快的度过一天的假期。他开着摇摇晃晃的小车带着妻子跟两个儿子出发了，要乘船时他为了免费抱着两个儿子过了检票口坐上了船，在船上卓别林的举止动作十分幽默滑稽让人啼笑皆非，他跳着欢快的舞步直到晕头转向。想放下折叠躺椅休息一下，急的满头大汗却笨手笨脚地连个椅子都搞不定。又因为晕船躺在别人老婆的腿上，招来了一顿胖揍。下船后他开着车在路口又遭遇交通警察的拦截，最后误打误撞竟用沥青把两个交警粘在了大马路上。真是快乐又充实的一天啊。

After amusements working in a restaurant, Charlie uses his lunch break to go roller skating. Mr. Stout makes advances toward the unwilling Edna (whose father and Mrs. Stout had earlier carried on in the restaurant). After a roller skate ballet, Charlie (now as Sir Cecil Seltzer) is invited to a party at Edna's. All the "couples", including a new partner for Mr. Stout. show up.