Unknown Chaplin 

Using in part rare out-take footage, the film-making methods and techniques of Charles Chaplin are explored.

Stars:

James Mason, Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff, Virginia Cherrill

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
James Mason	...	Narrator / ... 3 episodes, 1983
Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff	...	Narrator (German Version) 3 episodes, 1983

Storyline

A documentary from silent film historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill. Featuring never before seen out-takes from Chaplin's films, and other rare footage, Unknown Chaplin gives a valuable insight into the creation of Chaplin's films. Also included are interviews with people who knew and worked with Chaplin. The documentary is in three parts: My Happiest Years; Hidden Treasures; and The Great Director. Accompanied by excellent music by Carl Davis, some adapted from Chaplin's own music.

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Plot Keywords:

film director | comedian | actor | comedy filmmaking | tv mini series | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der unbekannte Chaplin

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thames Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits

Those actors not marked uncredited were credited by the narrator or by subtitles.

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Connections

References The Floorwalker (1916)

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Soundtracks

Title Theme
from The Kid (1921)
Written by Charles Chaplin

User Reviews

Behind the Screen

"Unknown Chaplin" is an interesting program--from two authorities on film history and preservation, Kevin Brownlow and the late David Gill, two men I'm thankful to for many of the restored movies I've seen. I consider Charlie Chaplin one of the greatest filmmakers ever, in addition to being the funniest man I've ever seen. This three-part television series shows cut footage from Chaplin's films, providing a unique look at the filmmaker's perfectionism and improvisational approach.

The first two episodes are especially telling. "My Happiest Years" features cut footage from his Mutual shorts "The Immigrant" and "The Cure", where Chaplin repeatedly retook scenes, improvising the comedy and narrative in front of the camera. And, "The Great Director" includes a nice look at the struggle between Chaplin's perfectionism and his unprofessional leading actress during filming of "City Lights". The last episode, "Hidden Treasures", shows a comedian who continued to work when not filming movies for release and how some of the gags in his films evolved over time. There's also a sequence from his aborted film "The Professor" and cut scenes from more of his films. Overall, "Unknown Chaplin" is worth watching for everyone seriously interested in Chaplin's art.