Limelight (1952)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writers:

Charles Chaplin (story)
Charles Chaplin (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 October 1952 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Plot:

A fading comedian and a suicidally despondent ballet dancer must look to each other to find meaning and hope in their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Ballet Dancer | Dancer | Music Hall | Hope

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Charles Chaplin	...	Calvero
Claire Bloom	...	Terry, a Dancer
Nigel Bruce	...	Postant, an Impresario
Buster Keaton	...	Calvero's Partner
Sydney Chaplin	...	Neville
Norman Lloyd	...	Bodalink
Andre Eglevsky	...	Dancer
Melissa Hayden	...	Dancer
Marjorie Bennett	...	Mrs. Alsop
Wheeler Dryden	...	Thereza's Doctor
Barry Bernard	...	John Redfern
Stapleton Kent	...	Claudius
Mollie Glessing	...	Maid
Leonard Mudie	...	Dr. Blake (as Leonard Mudi)
Loyal Underwood	...	Street Musician

Runtime:

137 min | USA:141 min (initial release) | UK:147 min (London premiere)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Spain:T | West Germany:12 | Germany:6 (re-rating) | UK:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G (re-rating) | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

RKO-Pathé Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Celebrated Productions

Trivia:

The final film that Charles Chaplin produced in America.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: After Terry achieves success, she is shown to tour "the continent", with stops in Paris, Rome, and Russia. The war would have made travel to Russia difficult, if not impossible, and Russia would have been in the midst of the Bolshevik revolution at the time.

Quotes:

Calvero: There's something about working the streets I like. It's the tramp in me I suppose.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chaplin Today: A King in New York (2003) (TV)

A story of a ballerina and a clown

Charles Chaplin plays Calvero, an aging clown who rescues a ballet dancer called Terry (Claire Bloom) from committing suicide.These two become friends and Calvero gets more meaning to his life.He desperately tries to make a come back to become the greatest clown again but it's hard to make people laugh anymore.Limelight from 1952 was Charles Chaplin's last American film.It was a flop but the film won an Academy Award for best score in 1972.That year the king of comedy got also a special Oscar for career achievement.This was Chaplin's most sentimental movie and it also was very touching.Chaplin is amazing as the aging clown.The man wasn't only a great comedian.He was also a terrific actor.It's hard to top his performance in this movie.Claire Bloom's performance as the ballet dancer is also brilliant.Chaplin's son Sydney plays Neville in the movie.There are also Chaplin's children Victoria, Michael, Josephine, Geraldine and Charles Chaplin Jr. in this film.This is truly a masterpiece.This proves that Chaplin didn't shine only in silent movies.He did that also in talkies.And this is one of his best talkies. The dialogue is just delicious in this comedic drama.In the end you can see another great comedian from the silent era;Buster Keaton.You can see Chaplin and Keaton clowning together in the end.And that is one great scene.A scene to remember.The message of Limelight is how wonderful life is.Enjoy it while you still can.