Film Flashback Fridays: Chaplin
May 14, 2010 in Film by thefreshman-la
Being an 80’s kid, my comedic memory begins at Eddie Murphy and ends with Dave Chappelle. So I thought it would be good to watch a film about one of the originators of slapstick comedy and a pioneer in film, Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin, who was played by recently revived Robert Downey Jr., was always a performer. His mother was a performer in the theater and was given a chance as a child to sing on stage. His early childhood years were not all fun and games. He was separated from his brother at at early age and was forced into very hard labor. As he got older, his mother grew a bit crazier and was forced to send her to a mental asylum. We all know he was able to get past his tough adolescent years, but we would soon find out how that affected him emotionally later.
Born to be an entertainer, Charlies first job was at the Hackney Empire as a slapstick comedian. His success and popularity grew rapidly in London and thought it was time to make a move to New York. His first offer was from director Mack Sennett for $150 per week. At the time that was big money. Mack was an innovator of slapstick comedy in film. This was Charlie’s first exposure to silent film. A memorable scene in the film was his trip into the wardrobe room. The famous Chaplin look consisting of a mustache, hat, and cane was born. Chaplin’s look is iconic and will always be a cool costume idea.
With his rapid success Charlie was able to open his own studio before the age of 30. Even with all that money their is a dark side to everyone. He was a love starved man. His relationships didn’t last long, in the sense that he was ready to marry right away. Divorce and the Great Depression both affected Chaplin greatly, but was able to fight through it. He finally made it back to London and was awaited by such adoration. With his obsession to his work and pushing boundaries, he did a film about Hitler and the Nazi regime, which did not go so well with the American public.
After a number of legal battles and personal issues, Charlie Chaplin was kicked out of the US and sent back to London. Twenty years later he was invited back to receive a lifetime achievement award, which was well deserved. Robert Downey Jr., who played Chaplin and narrated throughout the film, did an excellent job. I was really impressed with his work in this film because it was so convincing. Not only do I appreciate the comedic history lesson this film gave, but also an interesting story about one of the legends of Comedy, Charlie Chaplin. Keep it fresh.
Chaplin’s steez was always dope.