IT WILL MOVE YOU TO LOVE, LAUGHTER AND TEARS.

In 1914, an aging former stage clown (Charlie Chaplin) saves a girl (Claire Bloom) from a failed suicide attempt; their blossoming friendship changes both their lives. Boycotted in many places due to Chaplin’s alleged Communist sympathies, the reputation of this film only grew over the years. A very personal project for Chaplin, with autobiographical ingredients – longish but has excellent performances by the star and Bloom (in her first major film role) and feels like a dignified farewell, even if Chaplin made a few more films. Two standout ingredients: his touching music score and a comedy routine together with Buster Keaton.

1952-U.S. 145 min. B/W. Produced, written, directed and music by Charlie Chaplin. Cast: Charlie Chaplin (Calvero), Claire Bloom (Thereza ”Terry” Embrose), Nigel Bruce (Postant), Buster Keaton, Sydney Chaplin, Norman Lloyd.

Trivia: Geraldine Chaplin can be spotted as a little girl. The film didn’t get a wide release in the U.S. until 1972.

Oscar: Best Original Score. 

Last word: “One day, [Chaplin] asked me to go for a walk with him and he took me out to look at his footprints in the cement just outside the door of Stage One. Then he took me into his wardrobe area and showed me all his costumes—the derby hat, the cane, the shoes. Then he took me into the prop room and showed me all the props. After that we walked back onset and into the scene and just started to work through it. There was very little conversation involved. Charlie showed you what he wanted. He knew he needed to make eye contact and touch an amateur actor to keep him in the scene. I thought he was a fantastic director.” (Cast member Julian Ludwig, interview with Lisa Stein Haven)

IMDb