Chaplin (Richard Attenborough, 1992)

The first thing I noticed as soon as the opening credits for this film appeared was the high calibre of the cast. Obviously you have Robert Downey Jr playing the lead role of Charlie Chaplin (his Academy Award nomination for this film was definitely deserved), as well as Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd, Marisa Tomei, Milla Jovovich and Geraldine Chaplin, who is in actual fact, Charlie Chaplin’s daughter, playing his mother in the film.

It would be no simple task to condense the incredible life of Chaplin into one film, so I was curious to see how this one would pan out. We see a few what moments of Chaplin’s early life, such as scenes with his mother, who is later taken to an asylum. The film focuses on Charlie’s personal life − of course, at some points we see how it sometimes took a backseat to his busy career − but his relationships with women, as well as America, are really put under the spotlight. The film portrays Chaplin as a decent, humble, good-natured individual who gets quite swamped with attention and fame. As a result, he does seem to live quite an isolated life, in a way, which is manifested through his affairs and four marriages.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the film, and found the cinematography quite creative and fitting. For instance, when Chaplin is trying to escape with his film reels, the footage speeds up as him and his group comically pop their heads around the corner and then speed away − using techniques seen in Chaplin’s films themselves.

Given that Chaplin is based on a biography and autobiography, and the fact that his daughter is involved in the film, I’d like to think this film is a truthful and accurate account of his life. Regardless, it is an endearing, enjoyable film, which brings to life the comic legend that is Charlie Chaplin.

4/5