Happy Birthday to Classic Movie Legend, Charles Chaplin, born April 16th, 1889!
I’m certainly not a film expert by any stretch of the imagination; I am simply ‘just’ a film fan. And yet, while I may not understand the technical underpinnings of Chaplin’s great artistry, I am absolutely thunderstruck by his brilliance none-the-less. My mind boggles at the mere thought of Chaplin’s immense genius (and I don’t use that word lightly) as Director, as Producer, as Actor, as Comedian, as Screenwriter, as Composer, as Editor, and yes, even as Choreographer (in Limelight).
What I love most about Chaplin’s work is that every time I watch one of his films, I am truly moved. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me think, he makes me wonder. He makes me marvel at all the little nuances that make his films so magical – whether it’s simply how a scene fades out, or how the musical bed weaves into the storyline, or how incredibly ‘naive’ he looks when he’s on the brink of some slapstick calamity. In a nutshell, he makes me sit in awe and wonder how he could have had so much creative vision and the incredible discipline and focus to accomplish so much, so well. To sum it up, when I think of Charlie Chaplin, I think of poetry, masterpieces and artistry — but I also think of hard work, details and relentlessness.
That said, to celebrate Mr. Chaplin’s birthday, some scenes from some of my favorite Charlie Chaplin films:
The Gold Rush 1925 (Charlie Chaplin: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Editor, Composer). One of my favorite films since I was a little girl (thanks to my father :))
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Roller Skating Scene from Modern Times 1936 (Charlie Chaplin: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Editor, Composer)
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The Kid 1921 (Charlie Chaplin: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Editor, Composer)
The Kid was played by Jack Coogan who grew up to be The Addams Family’s Uncle Fester!
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City Lights 1931 (Charlie Chaplin: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Editor, Composer)
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And for good measure:
Clip about the film City Lights by the Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: How Chaplin Revolutionized Movies from a Music Perspective
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Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
Jennifer Garlen discusses an array of classic films worth watching — from every genre — including some wonderful Screwball Comedies like Bringing Up Baby and The Lady Eve.
