Charlie Chaplin: A Genius for the Ages
His legacy endures as we remember him on his birthday today.
I bawled my eyes out the first time I ever saw a Charlie Chaplin movie. Called the greatest comedic genius that ever lived, I was curious to watch his movies as I had never seen any of them before. I was a huge fan of the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy but had never familiarized myself with any of Chaplin’s work. Until the day I saw “City Lights” and that began my obsession with the man known as the “Little Tramp”.
For anyone who has seen “City Lights”, you know that this is probably one of the most heart wrenching endings of any movie made. I laughed throughout the entire film until that sweet, beautiful ending when the tears started pouring from my eyes. And that’s the thing about Chaplin’s films. They make you laugh until your ribs ache but they can also make you cry because they are so beautiful in their message.
So much controversy had surrounded Chaplin throughout the years. He’s been called a cradle robber, a Nazi sympathizer, a control freak, and other less than stellar names. He was definitely a perfectionist as any one of his movies could never be considered less than perfect, even the ones that did not go over well with his fans.
Chaplin was truly a genius in every sense of the word. He ran his own studio, produced and directed most of his movies, wrote the scores for most of his movies, and insisted on having complete creative control over everything. And it paid off because several of his movies are considered to be some of the greatest that Hollywood has ever put out.
Whether he’s playing a dictator, a king, or the little tramp himself, Chaplin has always been the most recognizable star in the world.
Born Charles Spencer Chaplin on April 16, 1889, he had an enduring career that was brought out of a difficult childhood filled with many hardships. Having gone through multiple marriages and controversy throughout his life, he still was able to leave a golden legacy behind him that is as powerful today as it has ever been.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on March 4, 1975. Chaplin passed away on Christmas Day in 1977. His legacy was immortalized in the biopic film “Chaplin”'. Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Chaplin in the role of his life in an Oscar nominated performance that would have made Charlie himself proud.
If you have never watched a Chaplin film, I suggest starting off with any one of the “big ones” which include “City Lights”, “Modern Times”, “The Great Dictator”, and “The Gold Rush”. Some of his shorter movies which I really love are “The Kid”, “A Dog’s Life” and “The Cure”. No matter which of his movies you decide to watch, you will laugh and you might even cry too.
No matter what I can say in this article, it will never be enough to do this man justice. He was and always will be, one in a million, a legend for the ages.
Happy birthday, Charlie. We miss you.