Charlie Chaplin. The comic timing of
this genius can’t be emulated or matched, ever. I was reading about his life and
it’s such a gut-wrenching story, you can’t but feel sorry. Right from the age
of five, he commenced performing on stage. His father passed away early. When
he was only 14, his mother was confined to a mental asylum.
With no proper financial support, he lived in absolute poverty. He worked as a child labourer for several years. But what a comeback! I, for one, hugely admire those who deliver with odds stacked up against them. In fact, Chaplin is one of the real rags to riches stories. His professional career spans 72 solid years! Can anyone boast of such an unimaginable feat? Chaplin’s tramp look and his ability to make you laugh and cry, often at the same times, is what separate him as an actor extraordinaire.
With no proper financial support, he lived in absolute poverty. He worked as a child labourer for several years. But what a comeback! I, for one, hugely admire those who deliver with odds stacked up against them. In fact, Chaplin is one of the real rags to riches stories. His professional career spans 72 solid years! Can anyone boast of such an unimaginable feat? Chaplin’s tramp look and his ability to make you laugh and cry, often at the same times, is what separate him as an actor extraordinaire.
Moreover, I believe he writes,
directs, acts and produces his own movies. So, if the films don’t perform, the
blame squarely rests on his shoulders. However, his movies, as we look back, on
have a timing that’s sheer joy and pleasure to watch. In the film, ‘City Lights’,
there’s this boxing match, where he keeps hiding behind the referee, it’s so
rollicking you’ll end up on the floor in splits. As if his hiding behind the
referee isn’t enough, every time the referee steps away, he delivers an
unsuspecting blow to the unsuspecting opponent, edging closer to an
unsuspecting victory. I tell you, it’s a riot. Many decades have gone by, since
this scene was first shot, yet it doesn’t fail to deliver the knock-out punch.
Seen ‘The Great Dictator’? What a
show! Who would have guts to film a comical movie of Hitler, the most feared
man? Yes. Chaplin would. I remember reading somewhere that Hitler was so annoyingly
furious with Chaplin for producing ‘ The Great Dictator’, that he wanted to confiscate
the ‘film’ at any cost. But Chaplin put on a ‘fine act’ by disappearing with
the film reels. But some other writings also suggest that Hitler, on screening
the movie twice in his private chamber, reported that he actually enjoyed the
parody! Whatever it was, the film turned out to be a colossal commercial hit –
perhaps much to the furore of the fuehrer!
Actually one falls short of words to express
the unbridled and mighty talent of Chaplin. This man has hardly had any peers
in his time. Even today, there’s none who can emulate him at such levels of passion
and perfection.
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