Charlie+Chaplin

“Life’s a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in the long-shot” –Charlie Chaplin By 1918, Charlie Chaplin was the one of the most popular comic film stars in the world. He was honored for his skills and human values. In the era of silent comedies, he was recognized as the “funniest man in the world.” Chaplin’s personality made him relatable to everyone because of his misfit, foreign and outcast way of life. Chaplin’s mustachioed figure wearing baggy trousers, a derby hat, a cane, and a frayed jacket could be instantly recognized throughout the world. He began to take control of the whole production, not only acting, but also directing nearly all his films, as well as composing some of the musical scores for his sound pictures.

For the reason that his films were silent, the subtitles were easily translated into many different languages, and because of this he was not only known as Charlie Chaplin but also “Charlot,” “Carlino,” “Carlos,” and even “Carlitos.” EARLY LIFE Charlie Chaplin was born in London, April 16 1889. Both of his parents were comic artists, but he could never remember living with his father. Charlie was orphaned because he was a child who lacked the necessities of life, where in addition to receiving beatings, he learned to read and write. His mother became ill many times from being in institutions, and his father died of alcoholism at the age of 37. The poverty and starvation of Charlie’s past is reflected through themes in many of his films and music.

When Charlie was sixteen, he received the role of Billy, in a West End production of //Sherlock Holmes.// Soon Charlie Chaplin and his brother Sydney made slapstick comedy routines for Fred Karno’s Fun House, and they played music all around Europe. When Chaplin was 19 years old, he became a principal clown. He came to America in 1910 with his troupe, where he made his first appearance in New York City at the Colonial Theater. He went quickly back to England in 1912, but came back to the States that same year, where Mack Sennett offered him his first film contract.  EMBARKING STARDOM  Charlie Chaplin’s stardom embarked with his first on screen character as the Little Tramp. Seen in the movie, no other than //The Tramp,// Charlie plays the role of a man who has a low social status but makes the most of it by having manners, and diligence. His renowned costume was created at Keystone, because of the insane costume choice, Roger Manvell, his biographer, described it as a “study in contracts”. His mustache, once worn by actor Mack Swain was cut down for Chaplin’s face so that you could see all of his expressions. In the film he get appalled by communist comics about the obsessions of working in a assembly line. The government said that this film had “an attack on the communist rationalization of production.”

Knowing that he had a lot of box office appeal, Chaplin left Keystone for Essanay, where he directed and stared in 14 two-reel movies. At Essanay he discovered a woman named Edna Purviance,

who became his leading lady in 34 of his films.

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In 1918, Chaplin entered an agreement with the First National Exhibitors’ Circuit, a new organization that was formed especially to utilize his pictures. At Keystone Chaplin was only paid $150 a week, as his fame increased so did his pay, and in 1915, he was paid $1,250. At First National, he was given his first million dollar contract. The first film made by Chaplin under this agreement was //A Dog’s Life// (1918). After this production was over, he put his attention to a national tour that helped the war effort, and after that he made a film called //The Bond// (1918) to help the US government popularize the Liberty Loan drive. NEW DIRECTIONS  Charlie Chaplin started to slow down the pace of his films, he started to directed his own films, he reduced the visual jokes, and increased the time of making his films. Chaplin also put more emphasis on each character, and made more the themes of the films more serious, and several reflected on his past life. While doing all this work, Charlie Chaplin revolutionized film comedy by making it into an art form.

In 1919, Charlie Chaplin, D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford joined to form United Artists. This company let these stars distribute their films with any interference from other studios. Chaplin’s films from the United Artist’s include //The Kid// (1921), //The Gold Rush////The Circus// (1928), and //City Lights// (1931).

Charlie’s personal life was never without a scandal, and his liking for younger women led him to two disastrous divorces. He was married to Mildred Harris in 1918 and Lita Grey in 1934, both were only 16 years of age.

Charlie Chaplin became more and more concerned with politics. He became a large supporter of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal. Critics harassed //Modern Times// (1936) for having communist views. The FBI started to keep files on Chaplin, holding all of his political events, and stances. Chaplin says in, Charles Chaplin, My Autobiography that “my prodigious sin was, and still is, being a non-conformist. Although I am not a Communist I refuse to fall in line by hating them.”

Chaplin challenged the world when he created //The Great Dictator// (1940), his first talking film, a serious but hilarious spoof based off Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, during the time of World War II. “The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls - has barricaded the world with hate - had goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. Soldiers!... Don't hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural!” –Charlie Chaplin’s Speech from //The Great Dictator// (1940) media type="youtube" key="pR98TQVnCQc" height="385" width="480"

Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, and starred in //The Great Dictator//. This was one of Chaplin’s most beloved films; however, it did get him into a lot of trouble. Even though it was nominated for five Academy Awards featuring, Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor, it did not help him when he was being sued for propaganda, and plagiarism. //The Great Dictator// was released in the October of 1940, it was Chaplin’s only talking film, and it was his only film created against Nazism and Hitler. He created a stir since the film was based off controversial criticism, fascism, and the Nazi’s. Another reason for nations being upset with the film was that in Charlie’s film he stats that the Nazi’s are “machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts”. Britain soon banned this film from being showed, because it broke the appeasement agreement with the Nazi’s. When Britain and the Nazi party went to war Britain welcomed the film because of the obvious propaganda, however, when it was first shown by Alfred Esaile, rumor has it that he was fined. Largely, //The Great Dictator// was well received, and even though it got him into trouble later with Europe, it was Charlie Chaplin’s highest grossing film, that was respected by all. Chaplin’s costar in //The Great Dictator// and //Modern Times// was Paulette Goddard, who became his third wife in 1936, although they were soon divorced in 1940.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">SCANDALS <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;"> More scandals began to brew, and the sourness of his life was reflected in the film //Monsieur Verdoux// (1947), about the hypocrites in society that were usually misunderstood. //Limelight// was created in 1952 about a clown that saved the life of a young ballerina.

Oona O’Neill and Charlie Chaplin were married in 1943; she was the daughter of the famous playwright Eugene O’Neill. This was Charlie’s' forth marriage, he was 54 and she was 17 years old, together they had seven children and that marriage lasted until death. Two of Chaplin’s children became successful actors, the first being Sydney, son of his third wife, Lita Grey; and the other being Geraldine, Oona’s daughter.

After World War II, the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) began to investigate people with left-wing views in entertainment work. In 1947, Chaplin had to appear in front of the HUAC, little did he know they had a 1,900-page file about his political behavior. He was warned that if he was planning a return to America he would face charges of a “political nature and of moral turpitude.” When trying to re-enter Europe it was presented that his permit was rescinded, so he chose to move to Switzerland. Chaplin put himself into a self-imposed exile, only leaving to make a few films in England. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">THE END <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;"> Chaplin moved back to America in 1972, where he took part in the Academy Awards in April, and also honored in New York City and Los Angeles for his talent and proficiency. The award honored Charlie “for the incalculable effect he has on making motion pictures the art form of this century.” He was also knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, in 1975. Charlie Chaplin died in Switzerland on December 25, 1977. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 105%; text-align: left;">

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 80%;">1. "Bond Rally, 1918." //EyeWitness to History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2010. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/himbondrally.htm>. 2. Charlie Chaplin." //World History: The Modern Era//. ABC-CLIO, n.d. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://www.worldhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/ Display.aspx?categoryid=22&entryid=314560&searchtext=charlie+chaplin&type=simple& option=all>. 3. Ellis, Jack C. //A History Of Film//. New Jersey: Prenrice-Hall, Inc., 1979. Print. 4. Robinson, David. "Charlie Chaplin." //CharlieChaplin//. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://www.charliechaplin.com/>. 5. Sklar, Robert. //World Book Student//. World Book Student, n.d. Web. 17 May 2010. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/ article?id=ar106380&st=charlie+chaplin>. 6. //Spartacus//. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAchaplinC.htm>. [] [] [] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 90%;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">(1925 ),