73. The Real Charlie Chaplin; movie review

 

THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Cert 12A

114 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate bad language, references to child sexual abuse, domestic abuse

Fact - Charlie Chaplin was the most famous person on the planet and tens of thousands of people would attend his public appearances.

But was he a paedophile who preyed on teenage girls and was he communist who threatened the stability of the United States?

Peter Middleton and James Spinney's documentary shows some great footage but doesn't delve too far past what is already known about the controversies which surrounded the comedian.

The Real Charlie Chaplin is a chronology of his life - from an impoverished childhood in London to his final years with his family in his Swiss mansion.

It takes us from the workhouse to Hollywood via the Fred Carno company which took budding comedian Charlie to America for the first time.

Chaplin's ambition was crystallised from an early age and he vowed never to return to England until he had made it big.

There are photos of him on his sea crossing, the interesting tale of how he was signed up by a movie studio and brief images of his first film appearance.

This documentary, narrated expertly by Pearl Mackie, also tells how he came up with the idea of his famous 'Little Tramp' character.

It was a genius concept and brought him fame beyond that which anyone on earth had previously experienced, even kings and queens.

This is the most interesting element of the film because it rather loses its way when it begins to examine Chapin's seedier side.

Sure, we hear from one of his wives who hints at abuse but exploration of his obsession with teenage girls (he married four of that age) is somewhat stunted.

So too is the examination of whether he really was a communist. The belief that he was became the reason that he left the United States but this film didn't reveal anything new on that important subject.

Thus, on one hand the film gives insight into the man and backs it up with great footage and family interviews but, on the other, it doesn't offer much new on the black shadows over Chaplin's later life.

In other words, it is interesting but not essential.

Reasons to watch: Lots of classic footage

Reasons to avoid: Lots of key questions go unanswered

Laughs: A couple of chuckles

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Just a few months after Chaplin’s death, two robbers stole his coffin from a Swiss cemetery and sent his wife a $600,000 ransom demand. The robbers were soon caught, however, and the coffin was recovered. It was then reburied in a theft-proof concrete vault.

The final word. Peter Middleton: "People loved the Little Tramp and they didn’t want to believe these stories about him." i

Share this post