Produced by Reuters International
For
thirty years, Charlie Chaplin was the most famous man in the movies, recognized
all over the world. Unlike "talkies" which depended on the audience
understanding the language, silent films were accessible in every country.
This biography traces his life from his impoverished childhood in South London, his meteoric rise to fame and fortune, his bitter exile in Switzerland during the McCarthy years, and the belated tributes from Hollywood in the seventies. Intercut with clips from his popular films are the commentary of authors and critics, such as David Robinson and Derek Malcolm. After several unhappy marriages he found stability in his later years with Oona O'Neill, who bore him eight children. His son, Eugene, recollects about their life.
Charlie Chaplin was the first screen actor to gain world wide acclaim as an artist. In a way, this respect and admiration signaled a new dignity to the infant industry.
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