If I had seen this film a couple months ago, I doubt if I would have scored the film above a 7. I must admit that I was not a fan of his movies and generally felt he was a bit overrated. However, after having seen many of his full-length movies recently (CITY LIGHTS, MODERN TIMES, THE CIRCUS, THE GOLD RUSH and several others), I realize that I indeed had a strong prejudice that was not completely justified. While I still think his movies relied too heavily on pathos to try to pull the heart strings of the audience, his amazing talents as an actor, writer, director, producer AND composer are unparalleled--plus, in this film at least, the pathos was necessary for the plot.
The film is not a comedy, nor should anyone who reads this review begin watching it expect laughs. No, it's actually a very poignant drama that in some ways is quite philosophical. And, also in many ways the movie is like a combination of the films A STAR IS BORN and Chaplin's film THE CIRCUS.
Charlie is a down and out vaudeville performer who is way past his prime and drinks much too heavily. When returning home to his apartment, he finds that the downstairs neighbor (Claire Bloom) has turned on her gas and taken pills. Though drunk, he breaks open the door and gets help. When she is rescued from the brink of death, she has no place to go (since she can't live in the old apartment), so he reluctantly lets her stay. However, he soon grows very fond of her and she of him, though she has a lot of emotional baggage and believes she cannot walk (it's a hysterical illness caused by emotional problems).
Despite her practically being an invalid, he cares for her and he barely scratches out a living. Eventually, though, he pushes and pushes her--not out of cruelty but because she CAN physically walk and can't continue feeling sorry for herself. He's very upbeat and optimistic throughout this period, though, as she needs to have a reason to live. Eventually, she is able to walk and returns to her career as a stage dancer. At the same time, Chaplin's career continues to go from bad to worse. Now, she is much more optimistic and he is in a funk.
Claire gets her big break thanks to the coaching of Chaplin. And, in the show, there is a small part for him as well. She goes on to stardom and then announces she wants to marry the very significantly older Chaplin. He is aghast, as he feels this desire of hers is really due to her being grateful and fraternal love between them. But, she will not be dissuaded, so he disappears from the show and she is forced to continue without him. At first it's tough, but she becomes a major star.
A few years later, she returns to London and stumbles upon Chaplin. She continues to voice her desire to marry him, but he'll have none of it--especially since there is a nice young man on hand to marry her now (played by Chaplin's real-life son, Sidney). Despite this, she arranges a big comeback performance for Chaplin--as he WAS at one time a famous comedian. This comeback is part of a star-packed show and it's now Chaplin's chance to go out on top! The show goes on and in fact Chaplin is amazing. But, after putting his all into it, he has a heart attack and dies--thus freeing Claire to seek out a life for herself. Now THAT'S pathos! The total package, though a tiny bit slow and sentimental, worked for me. Chaplin's music, by the way, earned an Oscar when the movie was finally exhibited in the USA two decades later! A beautiful, sentimental and almost perfect film--a fitting end to a great career--too bad he went on to do two more lesser films in later years.
By the way, since writing this review, I have found that this film haunts me and I often think back about it and how touching the film was. While it isn't one of his more famous films, I think other than THE GOLD RUSH it is actually his best film--maybe not the funniest, but among the very best.
The film is not a comedy, nor should anyone who reads this review begin watching it expect laughs. No, it's actually a very poignant drama that in some ways is quite philosophical. And, also in many ways the movie is like a combination of the films A STAR IS BORN and Chaplin's film THE CIRCUS.
Charlie is a down and out vaudeville performer who is way past his prime and drinks much too heavily. When returning home to his apartment, he finds that the downstairs neighbor (Claire Bloom) has turned on her gas and taken pills. Though drunk, he breaks open the door and gets help. When she is rescued from the brink of death, she has no place to go (since she can't live in the old apartment), so he reluctantly lets her stay. However, he soon grows very fond of her and she of him, though she has a lot of emotional baggage and believes she cannot walk (it's a hysterical illness caused by emotional problems).
Despite her practically being an invalid, he cares for her and he barely scratches out a living. Eventually, though, he pushes and pushes her--not out of cruelty but because she CAN physically walk and can't continue feeling sorry for herself. He's very upbeat and optimistic throughout this period, though, as she needs to have a reason to live. Eventually, she is able to walk and returns to her career as a stage dancer. At the same time, Chaplin's career continues to go from bad to worse. Now, she is much more optimistic and he is in a funk.
Claire gets her big break thanks to the coaching of Chaplin. And, in the show, there is a small part for him as well. She goes on to stardom and then announces she wants to marry the very significantly older Chaplin. He is aghast, as he feels this desire of hers is really due to her being grateful and fraternal love between them. But, she will not be dissuaded, so he disappears from the show and she is forced to continue without him. At first it's tough, but she becomes a major star.
A few years later, she returns to London and stumbles upon Chaplin. She continues to voice her desire to marry him, but he'll have none of it--especially since there is a nice young man on hand to marry her now (played by Chaplin's real-life son, Sidney). Despite this, she arranges a big comeback performance for Chaplin--as he WAS at one time a famous comedian. This comeback is part of a star-packed show and it's now Chaplin's chance to go out on top! The show goes on and in fact Chaplin is amazing. But, after putting his all into it, he has a heart attack and dies--thus freeing Claire to seek out a life for herself. Now THAT'S pathos! The total package, though a tiny bit slow and sentimental, worked for me. Chaplin's music, by the way, earned an Oscar when the movie was finally exhibited in the USA two decades later! A beautiful, sentimental and almost perfect film--a fitting end to a great career--too bad he went on to do two more lesser films in later years.
By the way, since writing this review, I have found that this film haunts me and I often think back about it and how touching the film was. While it isn't one of his more famous films, I think other than THE GOLD RUSH it is actually his best film--maybe not the funniest, but among the very best.