Chaplin, the screens greatest genius

[stuart.scot]

Just my opinion of course, but i think Charlie Chaplin was the sreens greatest genius. A great actor, a great director, a great writer, a great producer, a great movie mogul at United Artists and last but not least composer of some of the finest musical scores ever to be heard on film. The Kid and Limelight are two of my favourite all time soundtracks.



It's even more remarkable considering Chaplin's humble beginings, born in London's East End to an alcholic father, who died young, and a Mother, who was later declared insane. Charlie also spent time in the London workhouse as a child, before becoming an actor, who played Billy the page boy in a stage version of Sherlock Holmes and later joined his brother Syd at Fred Karno's music hall troupe.



Charlie began his Hollywood career in 1914 at Mack Sennett's Keystone studios working with the likes of Mabel Normand. Though he made a big impact, his films there haven't really stood the test of time, but that changed and Essanny where he made The Tramp and The Woman.



It was at this time he started working with Edna Purviance. IMO the Chaplin Purviance screen relationship was the best of the silent era, even better than Garbo and Gilbert. They both went to Mutual, were Charlie remarkably produced and directed several quality shorts in a short space of time, The Imigrant, The Cure, Easy Street and The Adventurer to name but a few.



At First National he made Shoulder Arms and his first feature, the masterpiece The Kid, a film which strongly mirrored his own childhood.



He became a movie mogul when he, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and DW Griffith formed United Artists. Charlie made The Gold Rush with Georgia Hale and City Lights, with a most moving ending with Virginia Cherrill.



Charlie, along with 3rd wife Paulette Goddard made Modern Times and his first taklie The Great Dictator, where a Jewish barber gets mistaken for a dictator, who resembles Hitler. The end of the film sees Charlie give a powerful speech about democrecy, which is still relevent today.



Though Monsieur Verdoux died on release, it's now a cult classic. Limelight was IMO his greatest talkie, in film about an aging music hall comic in love with much younger ballet dancer Claire Bloom.



After his deportation amid allegations about Communisim, Charlie made his first British movie A King In New York, his last starring role.



Charlie directed and played a cameo in The Contess From Hong Kong with Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. He also wrote for the film Love This Is My Song, a hit record for Petula Clark. He also yrs before in MTs wrote a lovely piece of music, which lyrics were later added and became Smile, a hit for Nat King Cole.



TCFHK was Charlie's last film, but in old age he continued to write music for his silent movies. As well as recieving a special Oscar, he got another one for best musical score for Limelight, 20 odd yrs after the film was made. This was because Los Angeles refused to show the film in all those yrs until the 70s. I can only say that it wasn't just a sentimental award, the score was so magnificent, it would have been won on merit!

[faginsgirl]

Sorry, but I agree with Curtis and Elton.



MR CHAPLIN PLEASE STOP



xx

[penfold]

name='faginsgirl']Sorry, but I agree with Curtis and Elton.



MR CHAPLIN PLEASE STOP



xx

Ah yes, the great ironic error in the otherwise excellent Blackadder Goes Forth. Everyone remembers the iconic final shot, the going over the top, the fade to the poppy field, the deft transition from comedy to tragedy.

But who invented that for moving pictures?? Who was the first in the World to put comedy and tragedy on the same screen, in the same film, with the same characters, to make it believable, to contrast the two and thus make each emotion more powerful than before?? Charles Spencer Chaplin, and his 'Little Feller'. Curtis and Elton should hang their heads in shame for that sequence - it displays their ignorance of comedy history.

[Wicked Lady]

I think Chaplin was quite brilliant. And such a fascinating man.



And I agree the skit about Chaplin in Blackadder 4 was a mis-step - although didn't 'Chaplin' have his revenge at the end of that?

[stuart.scot]

I never took the fact that Blackadder's destain of Chaplin was a personal insult to the great man by Curtis and Elton. I thought they just suggested that Chaplin wasn't Blackadder's taste, nothing more.



I thought if anything the final scene with the poppys was a tribute to Chaplin, as it's something he might have done himself

[Film Man]

Anyone know the tiltle of the film used during the end montage of Attenborough's 'Chaplin'...the clip shows Charlie pretending to part of a clock...swinging backwards and forwards with a malet...trying to hide from the police? I have studied the end credits but can't find what film it was from...all help greatfully received.
Film Man.

[midnight sheep]

Harold Lloyd gets my vote at the greatest silent comedian. ;-)

[Richard_in_wales]

Its a matter of personal taste, many love Chaplain, me? I'd rather put red hot pins in my eyes than sit through an hour of his films. Just a personal view.

[Cushing Fan]

Chaplin was good but for me Buster keaton was great :-)

[seanflynn76]

Chaplin's "The Kid" is a beautiful film to watch, as is "Gold Rush". I purchased "Unknown Chaplin" on DVD a couple of years ago, and I have to say that I completely appreciate the man's talent because of that programme. An interesting character.

[Tonch]

I rate Chaplin, Lloyd and Keaton very highly but for my money Roscoe Arbuckle was funnier than all three.

The Marx Brothers were better yet; in turn surpassed only by the immortal Laurel & Hardy .

The one who leaves me cold and baffled by his supposed status as one of these greats is W.C. Fields. I just don't "get" him at all I'm afraid

[Richard_in_wales]

I never though Fields great, some good one liners but that was about it. I enjoy the Marx brothers but even with them sometimes there are very flat periods in their films. Laurel and Hardy work for me, always found them funny as did my son when he was very young and as my three year old grandson does now, he'll happily sit there transfixed, perhaps its a combination of their visual style, voices and of course the music.

[Nimuae]

I have never liked slap stick comedy - so most of the actors mentioned above leave me cold - but Chaplin 'off screen' had many remarkable talents. Some of his music is really lovely.

[Film Man]

All very well but can anyone help with my question please #6? I picked this thread up from 2008!
Film Man.

[CaptainWaggett]

All very well but can anyone help with my question please #6? I picked this thread up from 2008!
Film Man.

Can't help I'm afraid - you probably need Penfold, but this might interest people

[Film Man]

Thanks Captain...appreciate it...Film man.

[CaptainWaggett]

Anyone know the tiltle of the film used during the end montage of Attenborough's 'Chaplin'...the clip shows Charlie pretending to part of a clock...swinging backwards and forwards with a malet...trying to hide from the police? I have studied the end credits but can't find what film it was from...all help greatfully received.
Film Man.

In case it jogs some memories, it's about 6.30 in this clip

[Edward G]

Film Man,
The clip is from the starting sequence of "The Circus" made in 1927.
Another magical scene from the man who was "The Greatest" long before Muhammad Ali claimed the same moniker.

[ShirlGirl]

I have never liked slap stick comedy - so most of the actors mentioned above leave me cold - but Chaplin 'off screen' had many remarkable talents. Some of his music is really lovely.

I agree. I'm not a slapstick fan, either, I find it irritating and tedious, but Chaplin can't be compared with all those other guys mentioned above because he was so much more than a comedian or clown. He was head and shoulders above them all in terms of talent and versatility. No contest.

[Film Man]

Thanks a million 'Edward G'...it's been bugging me for years...I even asked Dickie at a film do but he couldn't remember...thanks again.Film Man.