Chaplin (1992)

A film about the troubled and controversial life of the master comedy filmmaker.

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writers:

David Robinson (book), Charles Chaplin (book),

Stars:

Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Paul Rhys

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Charles Spencer Chaplin
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Hannah Chaplin
Paul Rhys	...	Sydney Chaplin
John Thaw	...	Fred Karno
Moira Kelly	...	Hetty Kelly / Oona O'Neill Chaplin
Anthony Hopkins	...	George Hayden
Dan Aykroyd	...	Mack Sennett
Marisa Tomei	...	Mabel Normand
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Edna Purviance
Kevin Kline	...	Douglas Fairbanks
Maria Pitillo	...	Mary Pickford
Milla Jovovich	...	Mildred Harris
Kevin Dunn	...	J. Edgar Hoover
Deborah Moore	...	Lita Grey (as Deborah Maria Moore)
Diane Lane	...	Paulette Goddard

Storyline

The biography of Charlie Chaplin, filmmaker extraordinaire. From his formative years in England to his highest successes in America, Charlie's life, work, and loves are followed. While his screen characters were extremely hilarious, the man behind "The Little Tramp" was constantly haunted by a sense of loss.

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Plot Keywords:

blacklist | underage girl | borzoi | ephebophile | understanding | 

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Taglines:

He made the whole world laugh and cry. He will again.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for nudity and language

Details

Country:

USA Japan France Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 January 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Charlie

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$31,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$9,493,259 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Pictures, Japan Satellite Broadcasting (JBS), Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Downey Jr. recorded the song "Smile," which can be heard on the soundtrack from the movie. However, it was not used in the film.

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Goofs

Towards the end of the movie there is a shot of the New York waterfront with the French ocean liner SS Normandie in the foreground, the subtitle showed the year as 1952. The Normandie was seized by the US government in 1942 and as she was being converted to a troop ship, caught fire and capsized at her dock. She was sold for scrap four years later.

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Quotes

[first lines]
George Hayden: Ha ha ha ha ha. Come on Charlie stop messing about, we really have to get down to it now. I just hope our friendship survives the day, that's all.
Charlie Chaplin: Ha George, don't be so melodramatic.
George Hayden: Well it's your autobiography Charlie. And as your editor I have to tell you that parts of the manuscript are pretty vague, to say the least. I mean for instance, your mother. Now when did she first loose control? We need to know those facts.
Charlie Chaplin: It's hard to say. She could be so wonderful, on good days...

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Connections

References The Great Dictator (1940)

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Soundtracks

"Music from 'LIMELIGHT'"
Charles Chaplin (as Charlie Chaplin)

User Reviews

Fantastic Performance By Downey As Chaplin

Wow, this is one of the finest acting jobs I have seen as Robert Downey Jr. portrays the famous Charlie Chaplin. His performance includes some of Chaplin's famous slapstick moves and Downey is tremendous at executing them.

To the film's credit ,it does show both the good and bad sides to this famous man. But it's definitely biased. Just check out how they portray J. Edgar Hoover, a man Hollywood loves to hate (along with any Conservative or Republican). Hoover is pictured as mean-spirited and nasty throughout, and is even blasted in the ending credits! His first speech at a dinner table, intended to show him in a negative actually shows him to be prophetic whether Tinseltown ever admits it or not.

Regarding Chaplin, if the film was the truth (that's always a big "if"), then it WAS a real miscarriage of justice to kick him out of the country for having a baby he didn't produce. Nevertheless, most of the film centers around his career and his wives, most of whom were very pretty with great figures.....but too young, most of them being teenagers!

Also shown nicely in the film are Chaplin's talent, his obsession with work, his great friendship with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Kevin Kline), the great films he produced and the sympathy he had with the American poor. On the other side, in addition to his pedophile instincts, one wonders why Chaplin never became an American citizen? They certainly did not help his cause.

The movie sports a big-name cast, with Kline probably providing the most likable role next to Downey. The women were very interesting: from Geraldine Chaplin playing Charlie's insane, pathetically-sad mother to beauties like Milla Jovovich, Diane Lane and Moria Kelly, the latter playing Chaplin's final and devoted wife "Oona."

Also in here are some big names: Anthony Hopkins, Dan Ackroyd, Penelope Ann Miller, Marissa Tomei, James Woods, Nancy Travis and Paul Rhys. They all help make this a memorable biography. It's beautifully filmed with a number of stunning scenes and also has a classy soundtrack. The ending is manipulative, but it works. It always brings a tear to my eye.

I liked what they did at the end with the small biographies of all the leading characters and visually showing who played each one. I wish all films did that.