Chaplin will be best remembered for Robert Downey Jr.‘s incredible performance, if not for its somewhat whitewashed portrayal of Charlie Chaplin’s life. The movie takes us through the life of the comic genius from his childhood all the way to his special Academy Honorary Award in 1972.
Downey Jr.’s portrayal covers all the pivotal moments in the actor’s life, from joining comedy producer Mack Sennett to his relationships and marriages, and the creation of his own dream studio at just 30. It also explores his famous vendetta with J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI.
The film also delves into his refusal to enlist in the British armed forces during the First World War, the moment he refused to shake hands with a Nazi, and the relentless pursuit of the U.S. officials over his alleged Communist ideals.
Towards the end of the film, we see Chaplin traveling to Britain in 1952. While leaving New York, with the Statue of Liberty in the background, he learns that the United States Attorney General has revoked his re-entry permit. It was a dramatic touch, as Chaplin was halfway through his journey when he learned of the news.
The movie, however, does a disservice to the great actor by implying that Chaplin did nothing during his two decades of exile from the United States. Contrary to this ‘retirement’ narrative, Chaplin remained creatively active in Europe, directing films such as A King in New York.
The climax shows him getting invited back to the U.S. to receive his honorary award in 1972. Downey Jr.’s character is shown to be carrying some resentment, even fear ing that nobody remembers him anymore. However, his younger wife, Oona Chaplin (played by Moira Kelly), reassures him otherwise.
As the audience watches clips from his classic films (which are actual footage from Chaplin’s films) and bursts into laughter, he is moved to tears. As he receives the longest standing ovation in Academy Awards history, the movie wraps up its story.
If you’re not familiar with Chaplin’s story beyond what was shown in the film, his declining health stopped him from making several of his planned films. His final projects included a pictorial autobiography, My Life in Pictures, and an appearance in Richard Patterson’s documentary about him, The Gentleman Tramp.
In 1975, he received the knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, accepting it from a wheelchair. He died in his sleep on Christmas Day in 1977 at the age of 88.
Chaplin 1992: Cast, Box Office, Reception, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Oscar Nomination
Chaplin packed some strong performances from the cast, despite one weird choice of casting. Robert Downey Jr. led from the front with one of his career best performances, proving at the time that he was not someone to be overlooked. Chaplin’s daughter, Geraldine Chaplin, was brought into the film to play his mother, Hannah Chaplin.
Paul Rhys played Chaplin’s brother, Sydney Chaplin. Moira Kelly was cast as his first love, Hetty Kelly. Weirdly enough, she was also cast as Oona O’Neill, Chaplin’s fourth wife, based on the rumors that Chaplin fell for her due to her resemblance to Hetty. Thankfully, the makeup department did a good job of making the two characters distinguishable.
Other cast members included Penelope Ann Miller as his love interest Edna Purviance, Milla Jovovich as his first wife Mildred Harris, Deborah Moore as his second wife Lita Grey, and Diane Lane as his third wife Paulette Goddard. Here is the complete cast in the film:
The film was released a week before Christmas in 1992, but didn’t make much of an impact at the box office. The film earned $9.5 million at the U.S. box office and $2.7 million at the U.K. box office. Notably, the $12 million earnings didn’t come anywhere close to the $31 million budget of the film. Hence, it was deemed a box office bomb.
Richard Attenborough’s biographical film earned praise for its performances and production value, but several of the director’s creative choices didn’t sit well with critics. The film barely managed to earn a “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The website consensus summed up the general sentiment about the film, applauding Downey Jr.’s performance while noting its biggest flaw: “A formulaic biopic that pales in comparison to its subject’s classic films.”
Downey Jr. was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the movie. In any other year, the Iron Man actor could have easily won the award. He lost the award to Al Pacino, who won it for Scent of a Woman. The other nominees were Clint Eastwood for the Oscar-winning film Unforgiven, Stephen Rea for The Crying Game, and Denzel Washington for Malcolm X.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Chaplin: Watch It or Skip It?
The critical opinion was on point: this Charlie Chaplin biopic comes off as bland, despite the director’s efforts to dramatize the legend’s life. Robert Downey Jr.’s performance is the film’s saving grace, thanks to Richard Attenborough’s insistence on casting him. Studio executives had initially wanted Robin Williams or Billy Crystal for the role.
For a biopic about one of the greatest comic actors of all time, audiences clearly expected more. As many critics pointed out, it was a misguided attempt to capture his life, and the filmmaker could’ve made a more faithful adaptation of his autobiography. The film was also criticized for some of its problematic portrayals.
Several storylines that cast Chaplin’s character in a questionable light were either conveniently skipped or overly glorified. For instance, the film highlighted Chaplin’s formative love story with Hetty Kelly, suggesting that this early romance influenced his later relationships.
Kelly was just 15 years old when 19-year-old Chaplin fell for her. The movie tried to conveniently establish this as a reason for his attraction to younger women. This was particularly the case when portraying his marriage to Oona O’Neill, whom he met at 53 when she was 17.
Our final verdict: the film is worth a watch, but if you’d rather experience Chaplin’s genius through his films rather than his life story on screen, that’s completely understandable. Share your thoughts about the film in the comments if you’ve already watched it!
Chaplin is now available for streaming on Fubo and MGM+.
