Travis Simpkins: Charlie Chaplin

Showing posts with label Charlie Chaplin. Show all posts

Saturday, September 28, 2019

A Dog's Life (1918): Charlie Chaplin

Written, produced, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, A Dog's Life (1918) was the first picture he made for First National Films. In the film, Chaplin shares the spotlight and hijinks with his canine co-star "Scraps" the dog... hilarity ensues. The supporting cast is good as well, including Edna Purviance and Charlie's brother, Syd Chaplin.

A Dog's Life. 1918: Charlie Chaplin

Modern Times (1936): Charlie Chaplin

Written, produced, composed, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times (1936) was a silent film released nearly a decade after talkies had become commonplace. Silent, with some sparse talking bits (mostly sung or done by mechanical devices like radios and loudspeakers), the film touches on the desperate jobless industrialized times of the Great Depression in the 1930's, while adding a slice of Chaplin's characteristically warm humor. Chaplin is elegant in his physical routines, charming and hilarious with his antics, and poignant in his emotion. The film is a true Classic, and a fitting Swan Song to Chaplin's Silent Film days. Paulette Goddard is great as well in her supporting role.

Modern Times. 1936: Charlie Chaplin

The Kid (1921): Charlie Chaplin

The Kid (1921) was Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length film. It also has the distinction of being the first film to combine comedy and drama. Though the filming was completed in 1920, the film was tied up in Chaplin's divorce from his first wife, Mildred Harris, whose lawyers were fighting to attach the then unfinished The Kid to Chaplin's assets. Chaplin smuggled the film reel negatives to Salt Lake City, Utah and finished editing the film there, holed up in a hotel room. With elements from his own life (the loss of his first son, the poor workhouse conditions of his youth) adding a genuine empathy, The Kid was a huge success upon it's release in 1921, and marked Chaplin's full transition from Actor to Artist.

A poor, unwed mother (Edna Purviance) is forced to abandon her baby. She leaves the infant in the back seat of a wealthy person's car, hoping the child will find a good home. The car is stolen, however, and the thieves dump the baby on the street. A Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) finds the kid and initially tries to pass him off on someone else, but is unsuccessful. The Tramp keeps the kid and does his best to raise him...

The Kid. 1921: Charlie Chaplin

Five years later: The Tramp and the Kid (Jackie Coogan) are still together, committing fairly innocent petty crimes to get by (the Kid throws rocks through people's windows and the Tramp conveniently passes by shortly afterward carrying glass repair equipment)...

The Kid. 1921: Charlie Chaplin

They must keep a vigilant look out for Police, however...

The Kid. 1921: Charlie Chaplin

Everything is fine until the Kid gets sick and the Tramp summons a doctor. The doctor learns that the Tramp is not the boy's father and reports it. The Kid is taken away...

The Kid. 1921: Charlie Chaplin

What are they to do?

The Kid. 1921: Charlie Chaplin

The Circus (1928): Charlie Chaplin

Released just as sound films were emerging, The Circus (1928) proved to be the most difficult production of Charlie Chaplin's career, in terms of delays. Many factors held up filming, including the death of Chaplin's mother, a divorce from his second wife Lita Grey, a disastrous studio fire, and the IRS investigations into Chaplin's finances. All told, the delays totaled two years. All was not a bust, however, as The Circus was a success. Chaplin was nominated in four categories at the first ever Academy Awards, but his name was pulled as the Academy opted to give him a special award instead: "for versatility and genius in writing, acting, directing and producing The Circus."

When the Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) is mistaken for a pickpocket, police chase him through a fun house and into a Circus...

The Circus. 1928: Charlie Chaplin

The crowd loves it, thinking the Tramp's clumsy flight from the Law is just an act. Seeing the crowd's reaction, the owner hires the Tramp as a prop man, but never tells him that he is in fact the star attraction of the show. The Tramp meets and falls in love with a fellow performer, a pretty girl...

The Circus. 1928: Charlie Chaplin

But he can't seem to stay out of trouble...

The Circus. 1928: Charlie Chaplin

and the Circus provides a plentiful arena of mischief...

The Circus. 1928: Charlie Chaplin

The Gold Rush (1925): Charlie Chaplin

Of all the films that take place during Winter, perhaps none are as memorable or charming as The Gold Rush (1925), written, directed, scored and starring Charlie Chaplin. The film is a "classic" is every sense of the word.