FILM FACTS: This film was directed by Richard Attenborough and was released in year of 1992. It was produced by Richard Attenborough and Mario Kassar and written by William Boyd, Bryan Forbes and, William Goldman. -based on a story by Diana Hawkins the biography Chaplin: His Life and Art by David Robinson, and My Autobiography by Charles Chaplin. It was filmed in : Los Angeles, California / Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California,/ London, England, UK / Vevey, Switzerland. The original movie lasted aprox. 3 hours 15 min. The studio decided it was too long, so they asked Mr. Attenborough to cut the unnecessary scenes. Chaplins mother in the film was played by Geraldine Chaplin, which is Charlie Chaplin's daughter.

Featured Actors: Robert Downey Jr., Hannah Chaplin, Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd, marisa Tomei, Milla Jovovich, David Duchovny, and many more. A complete cast list of Chaplin.

Awards & Nomination:

                                                          

TOPICS/THEMES/ISSUES: This film not only followed Chaplin's life and his rise to sucess, but it also showed alot about the mentality of society in his years. Chaplin had a huge influence on the people, not only of that time, but his message was strongest in hindsight and still effects society decades after his silent films. Chaplin films survived through two world wars, the Stock Market crash of 1929, and the Great Depression.

Chaplin's Style: SILENT FILMS! That is what Chaplin was all about. He was first and foremost. Even when sound a great silent artist. Charlie Chaplin more an image. He discovered that a picture is worth a thousand words. Everyone could understand The Tramp BECAUSE he didn't talk. In the movie Robert Downey Jr. makes a great analogy of the greatest belly dancer who was Russian, and how if he were to start talking it would break the character of that persona. The Tramp was born silent and his voice was stronger than words. Even when full sound came to the movies, Chaplin still insisted on silent film. He felt that the power of the Tramp was so, because the tramp never talked. Chaplin saw how many could relate to the Tramp, and how it wasn't just, "the one tenth of the people that spoke English". He finally made his first talkie in 1940 with the Great Dictator. Even with talkies in his silent films, the best moments are the silent ones. In Chaplin we see how the tramp was developed. It shows that it was just Charlie's pure genuis and the famous Tramp was a last minute run through the wardrobe room. The tramp had it's own style. Once Chalie put the hat and mustache on, he suddenly walked in a different way. The Tramp was all about the common man. One that would fall thousands of times, and get right back up again. He was you, me and everyones grandfather. Chaplin's wrote, directed, edited, and composed the music, for his films. He was the Michaelangelo of the 20th century.

Chaplin's Voice and Message: Chaplin definitely used his films to make social statements. But most of it was probably lost on the people of the time. We see the message now. But these films were more a vision of the future than anything else. Charlie could see the depersonalization of industry (Modern Times), and the horror of Hitler before the US even considered going to war (The Great Dictator). These films take on a greater significance when viewed with the 20/20 vision of hindsight. In the time they were released, movie goers lost this significance because they were too deeply affected by the Depression and War. As a result, the fears regarding Chaplin's prgressive thinking and the effect that had on the public were quite unfounded. Some did see the message, and objected. People like FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover believed Chaplin to be subversive, and a pediphile. Hoover wanted badly to remove the message from the movies. He did so later in Chaplins life by accusing him of being a communist. Chaplin was not a communist, what he was, was a little tramp that could prevail. He showed us how the common man could rise above it all. And it was in this alone that Chaplin made his biggest impact. It was a time of war and poverty, and many poor were unemployed. This destitute, yet proud little tramp reminded so many of themselves. A fragile man who could be knocked down over and over, and yet get up, dust himself off, and waddle into the sunset. His films were funny, they were touching, and they taught us alot about ourselves.

Chaplin's Fall: Because Chaplin had such a strong voice, he became a threat to Herbert Hoover and when one man has so much power over many people's perspective it can flow over into who becomes in political power. People like Hoover believe Chaplin to be a strong communist, so they investigated him. And if you are looking to find one to be a communist then you will find what one expects.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Chaplin films are part of our history. This film shows us a time in American history full of poverty, and how one funny man brought laughter to so many that needed it. We span four decades, and we see the changes from poverty to wealth, and how they lived. the costumes are very accurate, and give us a look at what style was back then among the rich and the poor. The film does not bore us with the facts about the depression and the war, but it does give us a personal look into how it effected society as a whole and the film industry. It also shows us the process of filming in the early 20th century. In the beginning of the movie, we see Chaplin's very first movie, and how the set was and how it was made, then as the movie progresses, and Chaplin gains more fame, we see how more modern the film sets and process gets.

BENEFITS: I believe that Chaplin changed the way of movies, and he stood up to censorship. he was a phenomenal person, and very talented. I had no idea how brilliant he really was, and I think that this movie made me appriciate him, and understand how huge of an impact he really had on America, and the whole world. I never really learned about Chaplin in any of my high school history classes. What I knew of him, was basically hearsay. This movie does a great job of telling his story, and in a way teaching about a life that changed movies.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Chaplin's life, from what I have read and researched, was very intresting. The movie Chaplin, was not as intresting, and didn't really portray how it effected America as much as Chaplin really did. Robert Downey Jr. was wonderful, but the way the movie was told, through interviews, was not the best way to do it. It lags on at times, and seems at times like more of a biography than a movie. It is accurate, but confusing at times. Charlie Chaplin deserves a better movie about him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What was the sicnificance of Charlie Chaplin?

2. Who related to Charlie Chaplin the most?

3. What did the Tramp simbolize?

4. When did Charlie Chaplin die?

5. Did Charlie Chaplin favor silent movies or talk movies?

6. What did Herbet Hoover object to?

7. What was Chaplin's message?

8. Which film was Chaplin's first talkie?

9. Why did he choose that movie to talk in?

10. Don't you just love Charlie Chaplin?

FILMOGRAPHY of Charlie Chaplin:

WEBOGRAPHY:

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/8423/mabas.jpg

http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/c/chaplin.html

http://ln.infoplease.com/ipea/A0760536.html

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/8423/

http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1993/01/798850.html

http://www.idleclass.com/links/links.htm

http://www.tvguide.com/movies/database/ShowMovie.asp?MI=35320

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Screen/7157/chaplin/ography/chapbiog.html

http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/greatdict.shtml

http://www.filmsite.org/mode.html

http://members.aol.com/FenixFlyte/chaplin.html

http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/blacklist.html

http://members.tripod.com/~Calvero/chaplin/films.htm

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Ellrod, J.G. Hollywood Greats of the Golden Years.

New York, New York: Routledge, 1989.

 

 

 

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