2021 Movie
Dir. James Spinney & Pete Middleton · United Kingdom, United States of America · English
This documentary expertly (and entertainingly) draws the complicated man behind the beloved caricature
Charlie Chaplin has been called the most famous person of all time, soaring into global renown way before mass media and the internet made it all too easy, but only a few accounts have tried to paint a complete picture of the man behind the clipped mustache and bowler hat. This documentary by James Spinney and Peter Middleton comes very close, mainly because all sides of Chaplin’s complicated history are heard. The directors show grace to his stressed-out co-stars and groomed wives, especially poor Lita Chaplin, so we come out of the film learning how far from perfect Chaplin was. That’s what sets this documentary apart from all the Chaplin biographies out there: it strikes a very fine balance between celebrating the objective breakthroughs the actor has accomplished and criticizing the consequences of his less-than-ethical actions. This is a real person after all, not some beloved caricature. It helps that the animation and script are utterly delightful, and that narrator Pearl Mackie has the soothing and graceful voice of a patient educator.
A look at the life and work of Charlie Chaplin in his own words featuring an in-depth interview he gave to Life magazine in 1966.
""The Real Charlie Chaplin" can serve as a step forward for documentaries about film history and an exemplar for those to come: that you can appreciate art without ignoring the faults of the artist, as so many have tried to do in the past."
— Christian Blauvelt
"Chaplin was a charmer and a scoundrel, a sweetheart and a monster, not to mention a celebrity of scandalous appetites. All of that is covered, quite ingeniously, in "The Real Charlie Chaplin.""
— Owen Gleiberman
Directors James Spinney and Peter Middleton attempt to paint a picture of the real Charlie Chaplin by giving context to his era, exploring his childhood, and including important excerpts from the people closest to him.
I was today years old when I found out Charlie did not have jet-black hair and toothbrush mustache.
If you want to see a good man, watch any Chaplin film; but if you want to see a real one—flawed and alternately endearing and enraging—this doc is for you.
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
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