by Sam Juliano
He is in my carefully considered opinion the greatest versatile genius the cinema has ever produced, and on a list of my favorites may well rank as my top choice, (depending on what day of the week I am asked the question. Ingmar Bergman is the one who seems to alternate with him, but both Yasujiro Ozu and Robert Bresson and even Carl Dreyer are with them at the pinnacle) No film artist has engaged me as thoroughly, no comic has made me laugh as much, no humanist has brought more tears, no technical genius -not even Keaton- has caused me to marvel just how much acrobatic brilliance can come from a single person. He was the consumate genius, writing and directing his films, serving as the main star, and to boot, writing his own music, some of which includes some of the finest compositions of the century. Michael Jackson’s favorite ‘song’ of all time is “Smile” from Modern Times, and the overwhelming poignancy of the music he wrote for the final flower girl scene in City Lights (his greatest film across the board) is the perfect embodiment of theme expressed in music. His physical agility, his astute understanding of the human condition, and his uncanny sense of timing all are part of this Shakespeare of film, the single man who set the standard that has not subsequently been equalled. If by now the name of Charles Spencer Chaplin has not been figured, well then the reader is from another planet.
Chaplin is the subject of some of the best biographies, and the documentary Unknown Chaplin is one of the greatest appraisals of a single director ever produced. No American film artist has equalled the stature and adoration he has enjoyed abroad, and none match the sheer passion his visage has engendered. City Lights is my personal favorite film of all-time, and the single one that would accompany me to a desert island if I were limited to just a single choice. Chaplin wrote his own autobiography and has been toasted worldwide by kings and presidents, some of the greatest literary figures, and his life has been the subject of more sustained interest for both the layman and the scholar, the upper and the lower classes and a wide range of admirers ranging from young kids to the elderly. His influence was enormous, his personality infectious, and his success complete on every level. He was lauded for his business sense and known for his frugality, and his canon continues today to exert an enormous influence on new filmmakers and those who value the film as an art form. His personal life was a fishbowl even after the move to Switzerland; his marriage to Oona O’Neill -the daughter of American playwright Eugene O’Neill- despite their 36 year age difference caused a near scandal and cost Oona any further relations with her father, and the subsequent communist witch hunts eventually forced Chaplin to move to Europe.
Manhattan’s movie mecca, the Film Forum on Houston Street ran as comprehensive a festival on Chaplin’s work as could be conjured up over three weeks. The first week featured an exclusive run of 1925’s The Circus, while the remaining two weeks offered up every feature film Chaplin ever produced with the understandable exception of A Countess from Hong Kong, which many consider a complete abomination. (I think it is better than that, but perhaps not a wise choice for this collection) Of the shorts, every significant title appeared in the festival, and the five most widely praised of the Mutuals were offered up as a single feature. Only the beginning Essanays were excluded, but this lot, produced in the early teens doesn’t really belong with the mature work that follows. Save for a few other Mutuals (like One A.M.) that could have further enriched the final cut, the festival was as complete as one could possibly have hoped for, and the double-feature groupings were inspired. On the evening of Monday, August 2nd, Steve Sterner provided live piano accompaniment for the screening of the four mutual shorts, The Cure, The Adventurer, The Immigrant and Easy Street. Virtually all 35 milemeter prints used for the festival were beautiful, but this is hardly surprising when one considers the excellent care that Chaplin employed in keeping all his holdings in pristine condition over the decades. (in marked contrast to the film of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu, whose films were heavily damaged due to neglect.) Much like the Anthony Mann Festival that preceeded it, the Chaplin retrospective attracted sell-out or near sell-out audiences for many of its shows.
I have decided to forego the technical aspects of Chaplin’s work, which by and large are known by most cineastes and film lovers, and instead offer capsules on the twenty (20) features and short films that I saw at this festival. Luck and fortitude enabled me to see the entire program, as I had done with the Anthony Mann venue, and I was thrilled that my wife and kids came along for the ride most of the time. My lifelong friend Tony Lucibello came along for Monsieur Verdoux, and I was alone only for Limelight, which somehow seems appropriate.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
The Complete Schedule Of Charlie Chaplin’s Films That Sam Juliano, Viewed at “The Film Forum” in New York.
The Circus A restored print was the lynchpin to launch the festival and this 1925 gem, produced at a “down” time in Chaplin’s personal and professional life, was given a full one-week run. So many sequences are unforgettable including the one where Chaplin impersonates a figure in front of the fun house, his tightrope act, during which the safety device breaks and he is attacked by three escaped monkeys, the chase through the hall of mirrors, the various circus acts where the Tramp is always wildly applauded whenever he isn’t trying to be funny and vice-versa, his imitation of traditional clown acts, and his being trapped in the lion’s cage. The ending is underlined by sadness, and was further proof of Chaplin’s ability to peel off the comic gauze and find the underlying humanity that he probed further in The Gold Rush, City Lights and Modern Times. The Circus is one of Chaplin’s four great masterpieces in my view. The ‘rainbow’ song over the credits is another musical treasure from this multi-talented genius.*****
City Lights Known as “a comedy romance in pantomine” the film is actually a bittersweet tragedy, and Chaplin’s genius knew it would only work the way it if it stayed a silent at a time when talkies had taken control of Hollywood for several years. It’s Chaplin’s greatest masterpiece, and it’s final scene with the Tramp smiling, and holding a flower near his mouth is one of the truly great moments in the entire history of the cinema, and one that brings tears as decisively as any film in any genre, from any country. It also features a rapurous operatic score that explodes in the end with the aural underpinnings that lifts this film into an emotional epiphany. Many of the earlier sequences at a park dedication, in a boxing ring, the scenes with the drunken millionaire who only knows him when he’s drunk, and a sequence when the Tramp swallows a whistle are as funny as anything Chaplin ever wrote, but it’s the humanism that elevates this. The film is told in the spare style of the classics, and is the result of what was purportedly Chaplin’s most painstaking work ever. The difficulty he had with the flower girl Virginia Cherill (who was nearly fired) is now legendary. *****
The Gold Rush Chaplin has been known to have said on record that if this were the one film he was to be remembered by, it would be fine by him. More than any other of his film’s this one has a psychological depth and richness, and tragedy that is incorporated into comedy. It has the scope of a great novel, and Chaplin delivers in it what many consider to be his greatest performance as an actor, using his brows and shoulders in a way that eclipses what some actors convey with their eyes and lips. A number of the famous sequences in the film rank among the greatest of all Chaplin moments (and for that matter in all of screen comedy), and they include the dance with the dinner rolls, the eating of the shoe and the laces (daintily) as if they were spaghetti, the scenes where Big Jim sees Charlie as a chicken, and the darker scenes with Black Larsen. The dance hall sequence near the end is also unforgettable. The setting in the snow, and the house swaying on the cliff are indellible Chaplin settings, and the film is probably his most popular. *****
Modern Times One critic opined that Modern Times was the equivalent of Disney meeting Fritz Lang. Chaplin himself credit Rene Clair for some ideas from one of the French master’s best films. In any case, many consider this to be Chaplin’s most brilliant film, and it’s hard to dispute that estimation. The conveyor belt sequence, the food-tasting machine gig, the high society party where Chaplin spews gibberish, and the achingly poignant scenes with Paulette Godard as the waif are ingrained in the mind as is the spirit of the song “Smile” presented here for the first time in instrumental form. (but no less lyrical and tremendously moving) The film shows Chaplin at the peak of his powers, and in theme and presentation it’s the most auspicious and sophisticated statement he’s ever made. Again, Chaplin refused to conform with the talking medium (though some gibberish, sound effects and music are in place) and again his decision resulted in a huge commercial and artistic success. *****
The Great Dictator Many have derided the film’s final scene,where Chaplin goes on his political soapbox, but at the time his heart was in the right place, even with the overbearing execution. I liked this film more than I ever did after the screening I saw here at the festival on a Sunday afternoon, but I still found it less than the four masterworks (since joined by The Kid and Limelight.) in large measure because the famous scene with Charlie and the “globe” is just not funny. I can well understand the situation in the world at that time diminishing many of the comedic possibilities, but even the attempts at satire and wordplay could have been widened. It’s a good film, but the one of his films that has enjoyed an undeserved repuation over the years. It does contain, however, one of Chaplin’s greatest performances. ****
A Woman in Paris Set in a small French village with Edna Purviance aboard, this is one film where Chaplin never appears on-screen, and serves solely as writer-director. It’s a masterful piece with the depth of a novel and a largely serious and tragic tone. Chaplin composed one of his exceedingly beautiful scores, and the cinematography and art direction are exqusite. ****½
Limelight There is a Shakespearean grandeur in this elegiac story of an aging clown and a young ballerina who professes undying love, and that one great moments of triumph that brings down the house, while the Grim reaper waits in the wings. There is wisdom and deep humanity, and some great dialogue on the fleeting aspects in life, and having Buster Keaton aboard-if only for a few short scenes- seems to enhance the film’s central theme. Clair Bloom gives an outstanding and moving performance and Chaplin is every bit as persuasive as he was in Monsieur Verdoux. And a great song, “Eternally” also plays into the theme powerfully. *****
Monsieur Verdoux Chaplin plays a man who has killed off a number of woman a la Bluebeard for their money in this pointed pacifist satire aimed at those who support their nations going to war and killing innocents, which condemning domestic incidents of murder. Some unforgettable gags (one in a greenhouse is an all-time classic) and the final scene in a courthouse is extremely affecting. The most unforgettable money-counting and rose pruning are included in this defining example of black comedy, with a similarity to the British film Kind Hearts and Coronets, made a few years later. ****½
The Kid With Limelight, this is the second film of this festival that made me re-think my original position and elevate my estimation of it to the top level. There is a naturalism, a poignancy (and that great surrealist sequence near the end) and one of Rollie Totheroh’s most exquisite turns as director of photography for Chaplin, and the great work by young Jackie Coogan. It’s certainly the most Dickinsinian of all Chaplin’s films, even with a number set in the ghettos. But it’s irresistible. *****
A King in New York Made during the period where Chaplin had moved from America, this is an autobiographical satire aimed at American consumerism and political oppressions. Many scenes do resonate, like the movie house with its absurd films, the rock n roll nightclub , Hamlet’s soliloquy, the society party and the commercial interruptions. The film has its moments, but by this time Chaplin was artistically receding. ***½
A Day’s Pleasure Probably the weakest of the Chaplin shorts. Some effective pantomine and burlesque, but a standard narrative line with a central idea that never takes off. ***
Shoulder Arms Brilliant satire on army life with Chaplin as an incompetent private in the trenches during World War I. A charismatic combination of slapstick, pathos and irony filmed in 1918 when the war was still in progress, and, until The Gold Rush in 1925, the movie considered by most critics to be Chaplin’s masterwork. The unquestionable highlight is Charlie disguised as a tree trying to delude the enemy. *****
A Dog’s Life Bittersweet comedy in which a desparate begger – Chaplin – teams up with a mongrel dog called Scraps and becomes involved with crooks and stolen money. Some brilliantly timed comedy, but distinguished mainly by its pathos and realistic emphasis on the little tramp’s desparate struggle for survival. The film was Chaplin’s first acknowledged masterpiece, and it again featured Chaplin female lead Edna Purviance. This one was a special treat to see on the big screen. *****
The Pilgrim Chaplin is featured as an escaped convict masquerading as a minister in a small Western town. Relatively less famed than some of the films it is coupled with, it does contain several bright moments and some gentle satire of American rural types and small-town puritanism. This turned out to be the last of 34 films that Purviance worked with Chaplin, but all in all its underrated. ****
The Immigrant Chaplin’s penultimate Mutual comedy (my own favorite, Mutual, actually) with Charlie and fellow immigrant Purviance sharing hardship and happiness as they make a new life together in America. Admittedly a slower pace than the other short comedies, but containing some acute observations of the difficulties and loneliness experienced by outsiders in a foreign country. Almost the entire last half of the film revolves around a single comic incident – Chaplin and waiter Eric Campbell continually finding and losing a coin in a restaurant. *****
Easy Street The most famous of Chaplin’s films for Mutual finds Charlie in the role of a reformed derelict who becomes a policeman and cleans up a tough city street. Very funny although like The Vagabond containing several moments of genuine pathos and emphasizing the struggle for life in the slum areas of a big city. Most memorable sequence: Charlie overcoming head bullyEric Campbell by pushing his head through the top of a street gas lamp. Edna Purviance and Henry Bergman are on board. **** 1/2
The Cure Boisterous Mutual that has Charlie always clad in light coat and straw hat, who becomes involved in a series of slapstick adventures at a spa. Several memorable scenes, including those in which Charlie suffers on a masseur’s table and Eric Campbell’s foot gets caught in a revolving door. For me it’s the least of the four Mutuals shown here, but it’s still quite good. ****
The Adventurer Chaplin plays an escaped convict on the run from the police in his last Mutual film and a return to the slapstick form that made him famous. The best scenes are when Charlie is being chased around cliff paths and across beaches, emerging from the sand and looking straight into the barrel of a guard’s rifle, and dropping ice cream down a woman’s back. Great stuff, and a favorite of my two oldest boys. *****
Pay Day In this short, Charlie plays a laborer on a building site, who arrives for work late, admirers the pretty daughter (Purviance) of the foreman, Swain, and tries to hide his pay from his enormous, shrewish wife. He takes the money from her bag, has a night out with the boys, and returning home just as the alarm clock rings, pretends he is getting up. Finally his wife drives him off with a rolling pin. Pretty much an expertly paces, hysterical short. ****½
The Idle Class Mistaken identity at a golf club is the central premise, here where Charlie playa poor drunk, but gets involved in some very well timed gags at a country club. ****
Sunnyside Charlie is the hired help at a country hotel owned by a patriarchal slave driver. He works from dawn till midnight, and his only reason for living is his love for Purviance. Later a city dweller arrives and temprarily steals Purviance, but in the end Chaplin wins out. A mostly pleasing and affectionate tale, which is distinctly humanist. ****
And here I thought you were going to give yourself a rest Sam. I’m glad to hear the shows were near sell outs. I suppose it’s not surprising for NY, but still I love to see that the classics are still viable.
Thanks Craig! The Film Forum continues to attract amazing crowds no matter what venue they offer. Even the new 3D series is packing them in.
“No film artist has engaged me as thoroughly, no comic has made me laugh as much, no humanist has brought more tears, no technical genius -not even Keaton- has caused me to marvel just how much acrobatic brilliance can come from a single person.” – How true is that.
Chaplin’s films are those which I’ve never condescended on, because they still make me laugh hard without having to worry about its age. He was an artist par excellence who knew what cinema in the studio system was. I hope many get to read Bazin’s essay on him. I’d also urge people to see Zizek speaking on The Great Dictator to see its finer qualities.
Sam, this is a grand achievement here that comes as a one-two punch along with the post on Mann. You say that Chaplin might just be your most favorite and the passions shows throughout the post. Take a bow.
JAFB: I very much appreciate this lovely comment and your reference to that passage. While I know how much you revere world cinema, Chaplin’s success in the studio system confirms the artistry it enjoy in those Golden Age decades. Chaplin and Keaton were the prime purveyoys of art in the cinema. I won’t ever forget this summer with Mann and Chaplin back to back. I’m enjoying the campy 3D festival too, and the one-a-week Ozu is just what the doctor ordered.
Fine work, Sam. As concise and as interesting a biographical entry as one could hope to find on this great artist. I have never seen SHOULDER ARMS though – sounds great.
I also see that they are now releasing several of his more celebrated films on Blu-Ray. In recent times, this has come to mean a retrospective season at the local art house – fingers crossed!
I’m tempted Longman, to dip into the blu-ray scene with a few of these, but I’ll wait for some quality control feedback. (though I know such appraisals will be glowing).
I very much appreciate all the kindness and support from you my friend! We must get you to see SHOULDER ARMS!!!
Your usual exhaustive piece, old boy, but isn’t EASY STREET missing? I’d have to disagree with THE CURE, I’d have that at ****½ at the very least. I agree ONE A.M. was the big absentee.
Why I thank you Sir. I just added EASY STREET to this round-up, not sure how I forgot it, as it’s one of the great shorts! I like THE CURE, and recognize it’s a favorite with many, but I prefer some of the others more.
Easy Street is the funniest of the shorts, One a.m. the most balletic and The Immigrant the most important.
Wow, quite some fun you had between both Mann/Chaplin showings.
I must say, I haven’t seen any Chaplin in years, although I remember once upon a time he was shown on the local PBS channel in SF in my early years often. Sadly, I only remember a few, but like everyone, the shorts and films left a lasting impression.
Nicely written, as usual! Cheers…..
We’ll have to rectify that situation with the Chaplins, Michael, and I know just the panacea! I’ll deal with that when I return on Saturday! As it is, we are leaving early tomorrow morning at around 6 A.M., but not before Lucille and I check out a film in the 3D Festival tonight, titled THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE, which is a “Gold Rush Musical.” One of the stars is someone I believe you know quite well…..Guy Mitchell.
Thanks as always for your friendship and support!
I think, after knowing about him for years of course and seeing snippets here and there, I was first won over by Chaplin when I was a teenager. I bought On the Waterfront on VHS, and it came packaged with a highlight reel of Oscar shows from ’71 – ’91. Among these clips was the tribute played to Chaplin in the early 70s. He was introduced and then clips from his films were played – including the gag (not sure from which film) where he imitates a life-size cuckoo clock, and also the boxing match from City Lights. To my surprise, I laughed aloud, as naturally and heartily as if watching a “modern” comedy (and comedy is one genre where it either strikes you or it doesn’t – doing work to “get” it usually doesn’t pay off). After that, I sought out his films and The Gold Rush remains my favorite.
Great piece here, Sam – I look forward to more of these recaps & capsules though I almost feel bad saying it since they require so much time on your part (in terms of moviegoing) – still I suppose it’s time enjoyably spent, if ultimately exhausting! I enjoyed these even more than the Manns.
Thanks as always for that wonderful anecdote, Joel, which always brightens up any thread where “discovery” is vital to the overall experience. I know many of those shows well, and recall my own serious obsession with Chaplin didn’t happen until I was 20, in an undergraduate film class at Jersey City State College, where both THE GOLD RUSH and CITY LIGHTS were screened. I was sold immediately, and as soon as VHS took root, secured all his films.
I plan to have similar recaps on the Ozu Festival (though one film a week will have it running until November) and both the 3D Festival (though I’ll make only 2/3 of these, still more than enough) and the one shortly starting on William Castle. I’d like to do my own re-cap on Yoshida too.
Thank you my friend!
Also, I enjoyed Dee Dee’s slide show, especially the final gag!
I only saw The Circus once, a few years ago on TCM and was underwhelmed – I don’t remember laughing much, and it seemed slight. But I generally love circuses and find them very cinematic; it’s a natural fit for Charlie and deserves another shot from me especially given the praise here and elsewhere.
Dee Dee’s addition here is truly wonderful. I can’t thank her enough for it!
I do hope you give THE CIRCUS one more shot, as I do see it as an absolute masterpiece. It’s one of his funniest films.
You’ve again given anyone a quick guide to an entire career. A few of these I haven’t seen, but I’ve been in a mood lately for this old comedy stuff (my version of the ‘film forum’, Chicago’s Music Box has been playing a collection of 6 Harold Lloyd shorts), so I’ll definitely refer to this.
My personal favorite Chaplin, MONSIEUR VERDOUX I’m glad to see you’ve rated that at 4 and a half stars, I recall you thinking it was slightly lower then that in past conversations… I suppose seeing it with all these others you get how different it is to so many of his other classics. That ending with the priest is so beautifully subversive and absurdist I applaud that he was able to get that in.
_ _ _ _
I really love the image you paint here: “…and I was alone only for Limelight, which somehow seems appropriate.”
Fantastic.
Jamie, you really know how to make a person smile, when you comment on the eloquence of the writing! Thanks so much.
Well, it’s true I liked MONSIEUR VERDOUX more than I ever did on this big screen viewing, which all things considered is a normal development. The satire never worked better for me, and the film resonated in the days following that Wednesday viewing. I’ve heard about Chicag’s MUSIC BOX, and know it’s a great place! The Lloyd shorts are a fantastic venue!
Thanks so much my friend!
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL!!!! In the midst of all the crap we’re served in the Multiplexes across the country, here comes a real ray of light. Like you, Dear Schmulee, my intense love for this artist holds no bounds and I will go further in my praise of him merely as a consummate artist… He was, and still is for me, a hero. Always excuding an air of professionalism while maintaining apassion for, what was then, the “new” art form, Chaplin maintained a kind of magical and supreme humaqnistic aura about him. Perfectionist, philathropist, literate minded, great dramatacist, with immpeccable taste and a flair for adventure, he ranks up there with Theodore Roosevelt, Pablo Picasso, Ludwig Van Beethoven as one who transcended his profession and took us by the hand to show us where the future lay. He is supreme in thinking, creativity and emotion. A true TITAN!!!!
Theodore Roosevelt, eh! LOL!!!!! I much prefer Franklin, myself.
Well Dennis, thanks for the very kind words, and for the appreciation of Chaplin (which of course I’ve known for a very long time). He set teh bar for sure, and for teh most part hasn’t really been equalled.
Haha I agree Sam. FDR over Teddy for me as well!!!
Chaplin’s star was on the wane when I was growing up and Keaton had become the idol of the critics. To this day writers decry Chaplin’s lack of camera movement or sophisticated cinematography, yet when I look at his two films from the Thirties with their hundreds of extras hustling back and forth in his artificial cityscapes I see a master of mise-en-scene. As for the rest, Chaplin came out of what I call the “burlesque” tradition that took the artificiality of theatrical surroundings for granted. Since his pantomime was always going to be the main spectacle of his pictures, he had no reason to make his cinematic environment more realistic than he deemed necessary. Nor should he have felt a need to film himself at odd angles or in deep shadows; his performances required the same camera constraints as an Astaire dance number. While I liked Chaplin since the first time I saw him, which was in an edited rendition of THE ADVENTURER in Robert Youngson’s DAYS OF THRILLS AND LAUGHTER, it took me awhile to overcome the critical conditioning I received from film books that disparaged his sentiment or his alleged artlessness as a director and deemed him Keaton’s inferior. As I’ve said elsewhere, I now see no need to rank them or their rivals in any historic pecking order of quality. But Chaplin’s place in the history of popular culture is unassailable.
Out of the films you saw, the one I consider the sleeper is SUNNYSIDE. As I recall, Walter Kerr and others consider it nearly a complete failure, but when I finally saw it on DVD I recognized it as a sort of self-parody. As such, it’s nearly a complete success. I also liked it because it’s one of the few times when Edna Purviance got to do anything funny, even if that was limited to playing dumb. Her role is a tip-off to the true nature of the film. I agree with you on A DAY’S PLEASURE, though; that one was lame. As for the three First National featurettes, have they been restored or are they still in their CHAPLIN REVUE formats? Your answer would be a nice appendix to an enjoyable Chaplin survey.
Samuel, I remember the waning at that time, but it appears that critical opinion has reveresed again over the past 15 years or so, though most seem to rank them equally. Keaton was a genius, no doubt, and I hold him myself just about as highly as I do Chaplin, but there was a polish and an emotional depth that Chaplin seems to have over Keaton. But it’s so close. I really do not read any critical opinions these days that rate Keaton over Chaplin. It’s really quite the opposite. Bazin, Sadoul, Sarris, Kehr, Hoberman all rate Chaplin higher for starters.
This is a tremendous response here, and I thank you for it my friend, much as I will thank you again later tonight for your equally superlative submission at teh MMD thread.
Yes, the prints for the revue were new!
Samuel, I would venture to say that what ultimately breaks the tie for me is the music. Chaplin the composer is one of the most astonishing stories in the cinema, and in the silent medium, music was vital. I’d say they are equal without the music, but with it Chaplin edges ahead.
No need in my opinion to ever choose between the two. They are both great. I would say that its a cinematic tie. City Lights and Modern Times may be the 2 greatest American films of the 30’s for me.
Agreed SAMUEL WILSON!!! Considering what he was putting on the screen, there really is no reason to go wild with the cinematography. However, considering all this, Chaplins framing of action (both timid and explosive) is like looking at a painting from that time period, beautifully detailed, come to life. For me, he is up there with Eisenstein, Griffith, Welles, Lang, Ford, Von Sternberg, Wilder, Bergman, Kubrick and, at least on equal part, Murnau. Chaplin is, in my estimation, one of the rare entities that dripped artistry as it corsed through his veins like plasma. The fact that he’s a quadruple talent (writer, director, composer and performer) also informs me that his decisions are correct and precise. Personally, from seeing and studying his films, I find no course taken anything other than necessary… One of the rare perfectionists…
Yep he was a perfectionist, Dennis. This is a certainty.
Sam what is your opinion on that Chaplin film with Robert Downey Jr? I have not seen it since the mid 90’s. I remember gaining an appreciation/respect for the Tramp after seeing it. I wonder if I would still like it as an adult?
Maurizio, I liked it well enough (and Downey was very affecting–one of his best turns ever in fact) but I have always believed myself it could have been better. It’s such a great subject, and not easy to bring to consummate fruition.
Grade A consideration of this movie genius, Sam and your second such project in a row. Your love for Chaplin is present in every line of this great essay. I bet you were thrilled to have Lucille and the kids with you for most of it. It will be experience you will reference in years to come. I am still kicking myself for missing out on “The Circus.”
The passage that Just Another Film Buff pasted above is really tremendous, and your use of language is beautiful.
Frank said to give you his regards. You know where he is.
Yes I know exactly where Frank is, Peter, and I hope he’s having the time of his life!
I can’t thank you enough for the good words, and for your amazing support! Only two weeks remain though, my friend!
I want to again thank Dee Dee for adding so much to this post with that utterly fabulous pathfinder of Chaplin films. You are really the best my friend!!!
Well we are getting 8 of these at a small Chaplin series in November, and thanks to you I know which ones I must see – thanks for a great examination.
Daniel, thanks very much. I hope to read about your reaction at Getafilm!
Another terrific piece Sam. To see such wonderful works on the big screen is a joy especially with all the slop you have to sit through with much of today’s cinema. As I previously mentioned I got to see CITY LIGHTS with a full orchestra back in the 1990’s, one of my great movie going experiences. Back in the 70’s I did catch “SHOULDERS ARM, THE PILGRAM, A DOG”S LIFE and THE GREAT DICTATOR when re-released at the Lincoln Art Theatre and a few other shorts at MOMA.
Simply Chaplin is one of the best. I have always had an inner struggle on deciding who I like better Charlie or Keaton. Of all the films you mention I have not seen THE CIRCUS, LIMELIGHT and A KING IN NEW YORK. For me, VERDOX and CITY LIGHTS are Chaplin’s top works with THE GOLD RUSH, MODERN TIMES, EASY STREET and SHOULDER ARMS close by.
John: Thanks so much. Your love for Chaplin has been conveyed in print and in posters and photos. You have seen many of the films on the big screen too, which I guess is the ultimate way to appreciate him, if the opportunity is at hand. I know too you have a deep love for MONSIEUR VERDOUX, a film I appreciated more than I ever have during the festival. I have not quibble at all with those rankings, and seeing CITY LIGHTS with the full orchestra is really something!
Thanks so much my good friend!
Forgot to add. DEE DEE! What a great job on the slide show. Love it!!!
Yep John, it really enhanced teh entire presentation!
WOW! Bravo Sam. A brilliant tribute.
This makes me realize just how much of Chaplin’s I have not seen.
I’ve probably seen more biographies (in narrative and documentary form) on him than I have seen his actual work.
I’m not even sure I’ve seen any of his films all the way through spare for THE KID — though his stuff has so permeated pop-culture (especially MODERN TIMES, CITY LIGHTS, and THE GREAT DICTATOR) that I’ve seen shots and clips piece-meal over the years to make me think I have actually seen the films.
I think Chaplin’s “Tramp” might be the most iconic film character in the history of film.
David: I really appreciate that!!!
Interesting enough David, I just heard only minutes ago from Allan in an e mail that Criterion (for the first time ever) is releasing a Chaplin film on blu-ray and DVD, and it’s none other than the masterpiece MODERN TIMES. The release is scheduled in November alsong with some other stunners like NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, ANTICHRIST and a box set that includes THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, EASY RIDER, FIVE EASY PIECES and KING OF MARVIN GARDENS among others!!!
Anyway, I completely agree with you David when you say that the Tramp may be the “most iconic film charcter ever” and I know you will embrace some of the titles you haven’t yet seen.
I’ll definitely be in touch with you later in the week when I return from Wildwood. Again, thanks exceedingly for the kind words my friend!
Whoa – totally stoked…especially about THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER release!!! It’s about damn time.
right there with you, David. Hunter in 1.66 and Hi Def. Bliss.
What a wonderful post Sam! I love your love of Chaplin and will not even bother disagreeing with his genius. He WAS a genius and made some great films. My favorites are “City Lights,” “Monsieur Verdoux,” “The Kid,” “The Gold Rush,” and “One A.M.” And in one of his weak movies, “A King in New York,” I love how he allows himself to be completely upstaged by the Communist kid, shouting out Marxist ideology with machine gun precision. It’s worth watching just for the kid.
Despite all this I will admit that I prefer Keaton, but only slightly. I went to a Keaton retrospective here about a year ago that lasted a couple of months and I have never heard laughter so loud and so genuine from a movie audience. Chaplin delivered the same to be sure, but Keaton, for me, has always been more identifiable.
Again, as always, great work. I’m looking forward to the Ozu!
Thanks for the great and enthusiastic words Jason! And after having just seen A KING IN NEW YORK near the end of the festival I can appreciate what you say there about the young boy (Michael Chaplin). Oddly enough, there was an elderly man sitting in front of Lucille, my two oldest boys and me who was laughing hysterically at nearly every line in the movie. His laughing grew to be as funny as some of the scenes, although I’ll agree on balance it’s one of Chaplin’s weakest efforts. But that’s a great point you make.
I can’t say I fault you for favoring Keaton, as it’s real close. I love Keaton to death, and would love to see a similar retrospective of his work at the Film Forum.
As Samuel Wilson astutely noted above, the pendalum has swung back and forth with these two titans of the cinema. And that a superlative short list of favorites too!
Thanks so much my friend!
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, and WitD readers…
What a very interesting review of (or critique of) comedian Charlie Chaplin’s films that you have viewed at the New York Forum in N.Y. City. (In order to once again…share with your readership.)
Thanks, for sharing!
By the way, a few of my favorites Charlie Chaplin films includes:
“Modern Times,” “The Great Dictator,” and “Monsieur Verdoux,” some of his earlier work I plan to add to my queue…(Oh! No, not netflix, I don’t subscribe to that yet…“with “yet” being the operative word.)
…Now, when it comes to the compliment(s) made by you, Joel, and John Greco…All I can say, is thank-you, very much!
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Dee Dee, what you have done with this post can’t possible earn enough compliments. You have taken my written component, and enhanced it with the very visual component it is considering, and with a wonderful buoyancy.
You are top-notch my friend, and that’s an understatement.
Sam, that was some write-up, I enjoyed that as much as your exhaustively researched Anthony Mann piece. Your passion absolutely shines through. It’s inspired me to rewatch some of those that I haven’t seen for years. And that piece by DeeDee at the beginning gives the whole piece an added touch of class. Bravo
Greetings from Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, Bobby, where rain has driven most of the resort goers from the beach in a sudden by typical “sun rain.” I am holed up here at an internet cafe about four blocks from the boardwalk, just looking on e mails and WitD.
Thanks so much for your exceedingly kind words and support my friend! Today, while we strolled a mall down in Cape May, my daughter Melanie presented me with a wonderful Chaplin photospread befind framed glass. I was thrilled. Ha!
Yes, I was admittedly driven by my lifetime passion for the man, and yesterday’s news about the upcoming Criterion release of MODERN TIMES really has me excited.
I am so happy to hear you are revisiting his work!
Thanks again!
And I couldn’t agree with you more Bobby, on what Dee Dee accomplished here! That addition really sets the whole tone and essence of Chaplin’s cinema. That woman is a saint, and an insightful one at that!
Sam, wow! I seriously mean that… wow!!!
This isn’t just one of your greatest posts (which in itself is an achievement given the benchmark you’ve set for yourself), it ranks, in my opinion, as one of the best pieces that can be found in the blogosphere. Truly an extraordinary cover on one of the greatest cinematic geniuses the world has sees – in my opinion one of the two most versatile genius that the motion pictures industry has been fortunate to have witnessed, but also one of the most endearing icons of human history. Show his Little Tramp photo to any person residing in this globe – rich or poor, literate or illiterate, black or white, young or old – and in all probability he/she will manage to identify him – such is his presence in our collective conscience and popular culture. There’s really no doubting the fact that he ranks among the most important personalities of the 20th century.
If you were to ask me to name my favourite Chaplin films, I might instantly name Gold Rush, but very close behind it would be Modern Times & City Lights. Gold Rush in fact ranks in my opinion as one of the 5 or 6 greatest movies ever made. Its slapstick humour and adventure are but two of its various fascinating attributes. Rarely has a film been so poignant or had such searing wit or such black humour or such painful social commentary or such a disturbing vision of humanity or, behold, filled with such humanism. And its gags were so ingenuous and brilliant that if one were to think of 10 most iconic scenes in film history, one would immediately start thinking of 2 or 3 scenes from Gold Rush. I really can’t have enough of the film. City Light was not that searing or dark, rather far more bent towards Chaplin’s undiluted humanism, while Modern Times holds a special place for me personally because I happen to be a Mechanical Engineer. Interestingly, as far as I remember, Circus was the first Chaplin feature that I watched. Some of its scenes are so funny that each time I watch the film I laugh uncontrollably.
Once again, an extraordinary post this one Sam, once again displaying a fact that we all already know – what a great lover of this medium you are.
Cheers!!!
Greetings from Wildwood Crest Shubhajit!
Talk about towering praise, my friend, but your comment here is one of the very best I’ve ever seen at this site in appraisal of anything, much less something I presented in collaboration with that Guardian Angel, who has given a run to Mother Theresa in the nearly two years she has given this place its character.
I know Shubhajit, how much you love Chaplin yourself, based on some reviews of his films you’ve posted at CINEMASCOPE, and your own passion has shined through those exceedingly brilliant capsules you’ve penned.
I also know you absolutely adore THE GOLD RUSH, and I can’t blame you at all for that. A large section of the Chaplin devotees do name that film as the one above all that they consider among the greatest films, and Chaplin seeems to agree with that assessment himself.
Your words here really have me smiling!!! How fortunate I am to have accessed this computer to have read what you and Bobby have written.
Thank You!
A great and detailed posting, Sam, which I will be looking back at in the future as I hopefully catch up with more of Chaplin’s films. As well as the Criterion ‘Modern Times’, I’ve just seen an announcement that Flicker Alley is bringing out a set of Chaplin’s Keystone films in October – not sure if you already know all about this, but just in case!:
http://classicflix.blogspot.com/2010/08/flicker-alley-chaplin-at-keystone-in.html
Judy, I did not know of this release, though I have faithfully purchased every Flicker Alley release (I received the silent CHICAGO just a few weeks ago) You have brightened up a very dreary day in Wildwood, where it is raining cats and dogs, with a dour forecast for the rest of the day. (It’s only 10:00 A.M. right now, and I encountered some flooding on the local streets en route to this internet cafe.) But I will definitely pick up this keystone set, as will Allan, I’m sure.
Thanks so much for your friendship and very kind words. Hope the weather is better by you today! Ha!
Oh dear, sorry to hear you are having wild weather at Wildwood – I hope things cheer up later. Here it was a bit grey but no rain. And glad you are looking forward to that Chaplin set!
Sam –
May I add my congratulations on your fine post here. As someone else said above, this is a post I’ll likely come back to in future, an excellent and comprehensive reference to Chaplin’s’ work.
My personal favorites are “Modern Times” and “City Lights.” I’m also a big fan of “The Gold Rush,” not least because Charlie gets the girl in the end. “Monsieur Verdoux” has always been ultimately problematic for me, and I’ve been chided (hell, even ridiculed) for my strong aversion to Chaplin’s big 11th-hour courtroom speech. I’ve never quite bought into the abrupt change in tone, where he moves from the quite hilariously staged murders and attempted murders of his multiple wives to sanctimoniously condemning the murder “of innocent women and little children.” Actually I find that phrasing to be key; the moral of “Monsier Verdoux” seems to me to be “It’s all fun and games as long as I’m knocking off annoyting, unattracive middle-aged women, but it’s a crime to kill the young and beautiful.” Just my higly personal, idiosyncratic view.
A couple of years ago, TCM ran a solid 24 hours of Chaplin on the anniversary of his birth. I’m totally in the mood to see another Chaplin marathon like that, after reading you fine piece.
Pat, I fully comprehend what you are saying about the courtroom scene in MONSIEUR VERDOUX! The tone is altered, much as it is in the widely condemned finale of THE GREAT DICTATOR. (I know where you stand with that film too) I like the former film more after this festival viewing, but it was never one of my absolute favorites. Two features rose to the top-rank for me after the festival: THE KID and LIMELIGHT, but the three you note has always been the greatest Chaplins (along with some of the best shorts). Watching his work always becomes addictive as you well know.
I deeply appreciate your very kind words and support Pat!!!
Hi! Sam Juliano and Bobby J.,
@ Bobby J., Thank-you, I was going to thank- you upon reading your comment, (nine days ago) but my computer “went goofy” Therefore, I’am taking the time to thank-you, kindly.
@Sam Juliano,
Here goes an antidote that his (Charlie Chaplin’ son) Sydney Chaplin, related in a documentary about his father Charlie Chaplin.
He said,” That when he was a small child and visiting his father on the movie set of “The Great Dictator” he stopped to observe one scene in which some soldiers were “struggling” to load a canon ball in a canon and after the canon was lit with a match…
…instead of, the canon ball going sailing in the air to hit it mark…it went ka-plunk and just landed on the ground.
Just like the man in the theatre whom was laughing at A King in New York…He started to blurt out aloud laughter too…he thought his father was going to be angry with him… Due to the fact, that time was money and the scene may had to be retaken, (Sp) but he said his father just looked at him…
…After listening to the story that Sydney Chaplin related…I thought to myself, but of course he was not going to be angry because that was music to his (Charlie Chaplin) ears…with him being a comedian, but most importantly, if his son laughed at that scene that is the same response that he wanted to solicit from the audience.
I know after reading this I bet you are thinking I wish her computer would have stayed…“goofy”
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan and WitD readers…
I found this post to be very apropos with all the Charlie Chaplin upcoming C.C. releases (The Keystone Films that Judy mentioned)…Here goes the cover artwork and all the info(rmation) that will be available on the upcoming DVD Modern Times.
Modern Times (Blu-Ray) 1936
This DVD is disc 1 of 2 in “Modern Times (Blu-Ray)”
Modern Times (Blu-Ray) – Criterion Collection (1936)
Starring: Charles Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Henry Bergman, Tiny Sandford, Chester Conklin, Hank Mann, Stanley Blystone, Al Ernest Garcia, Richard Alexander, Cecil Reynolds, Mira McKinney, Murdock MacQuarrie, Wilfred Lucas
Length: 87 minutes
Release Date: November 16, 2010
Rating: NR
Format: DVD
Misc: NTSC, Full Screen, Black & White
Language: English(Original Language), English(Subtitled)
SYNOPSIS:
Modern Times, Charlie Chaplin’s last outing as the Little Tramp, puts the iconic character to work as a giddily inept factory employee who becomes smitten with a gorgeous gamine (Paulette Goddard).
With its barrage of unforgettable gags and sly commentary on class struggle during the Great Depression, Modern Times—though made almost a decade into the talkie era and containing moments of sound (even song!)—is a timeless showcase of Chaplin’s untouchable genius as a director of silent comedy.
BONUS FEATURES:
• New audio commentary by Chaplin biographer David Robinson
• Two new visual essays, by Chaplin historians John Bengtson and Jeffrey Vance
• New program on the film’s visual and sound effects, with experts Craig Barron and Ben Burtt
• Interview from 1992 with Modern Times music arranger David Raksin
• Chaplin Today: “Modern Times” (2004), a half-hour program with filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
• Two segments removed from the film
• Three theatrical trailers
• All at Sea (1933), a home movie by Alistair Cooke featuring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, and Cooke, plus a new score by Donald Sosin and a new interview with Cooke’s daughter, Susan Cooke Kittredge
• The Rink (1916), a Chaplin two-reeler highlighting his skill on wheels
• For the First Time (1967), a Cuban documentary short about a projectionist who shows Modern Times to first-time moviegoers
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Saul Austerlitz and a piece by film scholar Lisa Stein that includes excerpts from Chaplin’s writing about his travels in 1931 and 1932
DeeDee 😉 🙂
Charlie Chaplin, God bless you in heaven. When I was 5 in Shanghai, his films were popular then but i was too young to appreciate them; in fact, I grew up thinking he is one of those shallow, superficial pure physical comedians. By chance, I watched his “limelight” this year, and I am 37 year old with some life experience. You can not imagine how touched I am by this film and how moving I am by the humanity and spiritualism demonstrated in this film by Charlie, and then, I sought out all of his major films and watched all of them. I am in love with this short but extremely talented man. He is one of those true “Renaissance man,” with emotional sensitivity, depth, great insights of human and life itself and yet still manage to be funny and optimistic. I am also in awe with his musical talent, all of his film soundtracks are lovely and unforgettable. They are treasure of our film history. I love you, Charlie Chaplin, you are the greatest.
Wang, there are not many who would disagree with you. Surely still the most important artist to come out of the cinema.