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Title: Chaplin
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| CONSUMER ADVICE |
Parents, though not as violent or crass as most R-rated films this is a very dark, black comedy that most kids won't appriciate or really get. More for older teens. Recommended for ages 15 and up. |
There is no doubt in my mind that Charlie Chaplin is the most recognized actor in the world. I saw this with no hesitation. Show anyone a picture of him as his most famous character The Tramp and that person will know who he is. On the other hand we have Richard Attenborough, a director who is in love with his epic biopics. Early in the nineties he turned that passion to make “Chaplin,” a movie about one of cinema’s leading geniuses. The movie follows Chaplin (Robert Downey, Jr. in an Oscar-nominated role) from a humble British boy who is plucked out from dinner theater and into the new world of motion pictures. There his boss lets him know that they produce at least 20 films per week and never over $1,000. My, how times have changed.
It is here that Chaplin created The Tramp, learned all about directing, and started to show his weakness for young women. Unlike most biopics of this nature the director tends to focus on the bad. After all, troubled lives tend to make for more interesting cinema then happy lives. Or - at the very least - more marketable. This may partially explain why the movie didn’t even crack $10 million at the box office back in 92. There are troubles in Chaplins life. Early on he unknowingly makes an enemy out of J. Edgar Hoover who would later use the F.B.I. to harass the film maker. This would even lead to Chaplin paying child support to a child that isn’t even his own.
Dark moments like these are present, but overall just a small portion of the film. No, here we see a man who was born to be an entertainer. He has a sharp timing skill that is still coveted to this day. His movies are getting very old yet they still feel fresh. He even manages to make a hit silent film (“City Lights”) during a time when talkies is all the rage. One thing that can be distracting is Attenboroughs strange use of celebrity cameos. While this practice is not unheard of, sometimes the presence of modern day star is so overwhelming it undermines the fact that they are playing a star from the olden days. When Douglas Fearbanks (a very popular silent star) shows up in the movie we don’t see him but actor Kevin Kline in the role.
Moments like these are distracting but not fatal. The movie really works because Downey was ready to play the role and Attenborough - while making some questionable choices - had enough love for the actor to make him the focus of the screenplay and as opposed to his troubles. When the movie ends and a frail Chaplin walks onto the stage to accept his Oscar a real is shown of many of the real Charlie Chaplins films. It’s hard to tell the real one apart from the other. Even more impressive though is even in an aged stage, Downey is just as convincing. The movie was out of print for many years until Liongate picked up the rights. Good for them. A movie like “Chaplin” deserves more then to sit in a vault next to “North.”
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Spaceriffic Review
Coming Soon (Promise, I'll make Marco do one)
