Much of the film is slapstick comedy involving Chaplin manhandling large props, mishandling the control to a trap door, and engaging in a raucous pie-throwing fight which spills over into another studio where a period drama is being shot.

In Behind the Screen, Chaplin pokes gentle fun at Keystone Studios where he broke into the movies in 1914 and worked under contract for Mack Sennett for a year.

[1] A reviewer for Variety penned, "The latest Charlie Chaplin release is a two-reeler that is to be classed with one of the best laugh-producers that the world's champion high-priced film comic has done for Mutual.

The action, which in no case drags, takes place presumably on the floor of a film studio with a large chance for fun with the numerous props."

By contrast, The Moving Picture World gave a less-than-enthusiastic review: " While this Chaplin effort will doubtless evoke much laughter from a certain class of audience, it is not one to be strongly recommended.

A great deal of comedy is intended to be extracted from a pie slinging episode which occurs during the rehearsal of a couple of scenes in a moving picture studio.