Limelight (1952)

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

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (original story and screenplay)

Stars:

Charles Chaplin, Claire Bloom, Nigel Bruce

Won 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Chaplin	...	Calvero
Claire Bloom	...	Thereza
Nigel Bruce	...	Postant
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

Storyline

Chaplin's final American film tells the story of a fading music hall comedian's effort to help a despondent ballet dancer learn both to walk and feel confident about life again. The highlight of the film is the classic duet with Chaplin's only real artistic film comedy rival, Buster Keaton.

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Plot Keywords:

dancer | ballet dancer | ballet | legs | love | 

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Taglines:

The masterpiece of laughter and tears from the master of comedy!

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1952 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Candilejas

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Celebrated Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min 141 min (initial release) 147 min (London premiere)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first feature film in which Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton appeared onscreen together. This is often wrongly cited as their first onscreen meeting, but both appeared in a short publicity film in the 1920s entitled Seeing Stars.

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Goofs

While Thereza is convalescing in Calvero's apartment, Calvero is shown removing a soiled towel and placing it in a large bowl on the bed. In the subsequent wider shot, the bowl is no longer there.

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Quotes

Terry: I'm sorry.
Calvero: You should be. A young girl like you wanting to throw your life away. Heh! When you are my age you want to hang onto it.

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Crazy Credits

"The glamour of limelight, from which age must pass as youth enters."

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Connections

Featured in Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987)

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Soundtracks

"The Life of a Sardine"
(1952) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Charles Chaplin
Performed by Charles Chaplin

User Reviews

A fantastic movie about an old and washed-up clown who meets a young and troubled ballerina.

This was the first and only Chaplin film I have ever seen -- and it wasn't at all what I was expecting.

I was completely surprised that such a simple film could have so many layers of depth. In fact it kept me thinking days afterwards!

At it's core, I would say this movie is about the love of one's art, and the love that a couple share.

The Ballerina loves to perform but is impeded by a psychosis that makes her legs inoperable. I interpret success to be the root of the psychosis.

The Clown loves to perform but is impeded by his fear of becoming a B or C-list star. He is a legendary comedian and now that he's no longer in demand, he's convinced himself that he has to drink to be funny.

There you have it; a clown afraid of failure and a ballerina afraid of success. Together they help each other love their art more by removing those things that impede them.

The best thing about the film is that the obviousness of the plot is completely lost in the depth of the film. Chaplin uses such simple and common devices to draw the audience into his world. I know it's hard to belive, but this is a "must-see" movie!