Charlie Chaplin: Comic Genius

by David Robinson

Robinson, David

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In, Biography Memoir, History, Autobiography

143 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

David Robinson (born 1930) is a British film critic and author. He started writing for Sight and Sound and the Monthly Film Bulletin in the 1950s, becoming Assistant Editor of Sight and Sound and Editor of the Monthly Film Bulletin in 1957-1958. He was film critic of The Financial Times from 1958 to 1973, before taking up the same post at The Times in 1973. He remained the paper's main film reviewer until around 1990 and a regular contributor until around 1996.

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face. Said John Updike. I love that quote.

The Two Charlies : their decline and fall

There are remarkable parallels between Charles Dickens and Charlie Chaplin -
the workhouse/desperate London poverty childhoods,
the early success leading to the ever more gigantic successes,
the world-bestriding fame,
the popular genres becoming ever more elaborated (from Pickwick to Dombey, from Kid Auto Races to Modern Times),
the leftish political slant and the zeal for social improvement,
the appeal to the groundlings and the intellectuals,
the great gouts of sentiment amongst the caricature comedy,
and
also
the great crash of their popularity in the last 50 years.

Well, I think the same thing has happened to both of them – correct me if I'm wrong. Since the 50s at least, Chaplin's movies appear to be rated by critics a poor third to Buster Keaton's and Harold Lloyd's. And I think you'd have to look a long time with a strong flashlight in your local multiplex before you found a Chaplin fan. His stuff is too encrusted with the inexplicable past. It has too much surface noise.

Dickens – another bad case of the total eclipse of the art. Only us geeks would even think of picking up a Dickens and then we'd probably not because there would be The Pale King or 2666 which we hadn't read yet; or if we did get in the mood for some old school, we might find Wilkie Collins appearing in our literary mitts, because he's the Buster Keaton of Victorian melodrama.

Surface noise

I listen to old music a lot. When I say old, I don't mean the 1990s, I mean the 1920s and 30s. If you do that you have to accept surface noise. Sometimes it's real BAD, like on Charlie Patton records, where it's like Charlie himself is frying some sausage, eggs and bacon right there in front of you as well as playing "High Water Everywhere". It's ugly. Most times, though, surface noise is like a fine hissy undercoating, like on Al Bowlly doing The Very Thought of You. After a while, it becomes part of the atmosphere of these great old songs.

Other art forms have their surface noise too. In movies if you go back to the 50s you get – oh the horror! – black and white films. I know people who will not watch black & white movies. It's hard work for them. They think the dvd is broken. They imply with their slight uncomfortable body movements that we have dishwashers now so we don't wash up dishes by hand; we don't till the fields and raise our own chickens; so why would we want to watch a black & white movie? So that's the movies' version of surface noise. You have to accept it or be cut off from the great movies of pre-colour.

But then there is another problem when we peer into the past. It's the surface noise of the mind. This is when you become aware of the various weird, outrageous, unfunny attitudes and just strange stuff the people in these old movies did and had. There are many scenes where the guy is driving along in a car with a girl and he'll be smoking, she'll be smoking, and he'll be chatting away looking at her and not even pretending to drive for three or four entire minutes. Well, of course, they weren't driving, it was a back-projection, but they do these scenes so contemptuously, it begins to look like it's supposed to seem fake, like some kind of Brechtian alienation device, but you know that's not what they were aiming at, so you get discombobulated. And in every scene from the 30s to the 50s, if a guy and a woman go into a room together, the guy has the woman's upper arm or elbow in a vice like grip. I mean, what? Was that polite back then? Also, the movies have titles like His Girl Friday – offensive on several levels! Try telling the modern misses of today that His Girl Friday is a cracking satire of tabloid journalism. You won't get far.

Chaplin was supposed to be universal, as was Dickens. We now see that their universality did not travel in time. What everyone - I mean EVERYONE - read, watched and loved in those days has become rarified truffles for the elite of geek. But Charles and Charlie were the guys who were massively popular first. They wrote the first book on how to be very very popular. Since Dickens and Chaplin, I'd count Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Harry Potter and Twilight to be in the same phenomenal stratosphere. Can't think anyone else approaching those select few. Interesting that four out of the seven are British.

But I'll bet that the 20 year olds of 2080 will be glowering at Harry Potter and thinking to themselves whoever liked this glurking plaf? This blecking plaffy old movie. It's enough to make you goff your newts!

[Paria:D · Rating 3 out of 5]

در يك كلام؛ كاش كمي ظرفيت داشته باشيم.
ظرفيت شهرت، ظرفيت ثروت،جنبه ي توجه، جنبه ي محبت...
اما حيف كه در سخن ساده و در عمل بسيار دشوار است. در كسري از ثانيه فرشته اي به ديو بدل ميگردد :/

[Louie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to agree with the other reviews. You have to be a true Chaplin fan to read this epic by David Robinson. There are only two books necessary for the Chaplin fan; "My Autobiograpy", by Chaplin himself, and this book by Robinson. While there are scores of other books on the market concerning Chaplin's life, Robinson's is THE definitive work.

If Charlie had been around to read this work, he might have amended his famous phrase from "If you want to know me, see my movies," to "If you want to know me, see my movies ...and read this book."

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the big Chaplin biography. Barring heretofore unknown revelations, David Robinson's work should remain the standard by which all other Chaplin life studies are judged. Robinson himself is a film historian of note as well as a critic of some substance. Accordingly, he is able to bring the element of a critical biography into play, which analyzes Chaplin's films within the context of his life and career. From Chaplin's hard early life to his success in Hollywood and his later disfavor with the US government, Robinson covers everything of importance as well as providing anecdotal stories that illuminate the comedian's character.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years I have read many biographies and analyses of Chaplin's "life and art". This one seems to me to the the most comprehensive and compelling. I had the opportunity to meet the author last week and have a brief conversation, which was a wonderful moment for me. Mr. Robinson was very gracious in sharing insights into his work with me.

[Richard Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chaplin: His Life and Art effectively posits itself as a supplement to Chaplin’s autobiography which, this author points out, didn’t share many details about the actual making of his movies. So this book follows Chaplin’s whole life but especially focuses on production details about each of his films. And it does a great job at this, devoting a chapter to each of the major works, but if you’re looking for some of the more scandalous details of Chaplin’s scandalous life, this isn’t the book for you. Robinson is an admirer of Chaplin, which is expected when crafting a work dedicated to a genius’s art, but I wish he dug deeper into his trials and tribulations, if only because of how much they influenced Chaplin’s art. But this book is engaging and informative, and though Robinson is on Chaplin’s side in most of the conflicts he does discuss, he’s not dogmatic. He acknowledges how difficult and monomaniacal Chaplin could be. The end of Chaplin’s life is discussed touchingly, but I wish, since this is the era the autobiography doesn’t cover, it hadn’t been such a brief chapter. All in all, an excellent supplement to Chaplin’s autobiography, and a great study of his art, if not a definitive portrait of the artist.

[Delphine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive biography of the world’s most famous clown, revealing his enormous drive for work, his sense for the tragicomic and his love for (barely adult) teenage actresses. It clearly depicts how alive and contemporary Charlie’s major films (The kid, The Gold Rush, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, limelight) still are.

The readability of this biography is hampered by its extensive details (including crew info on each and every film). Despite the tight chronological structure the transitions between the paragraphs are often haphazard and not logically connected.

[Shahla Pirasteh · Rating 5 out of 5]

دخترم جرالدين, از تو دورم , ولی يک لحظه تصوير تو از ديدگانم دور نميشود.تو کجايی؟در پاريس ,روی صحنه تئاتر پرشکوه شانزه ليزه؟اين را ميدانم و چنان است که گويي در اين سکوت شبانگاهی ,آهنگ قدمهايت را ميشنوم.شنيده ام نقش تو در اين نمايش پرشکوه, نقش آن دختر زيبای حاکمی است که اسير خان تاتار شده است.
جرالدين, در نقش ستاره باش و بدرخش ,اما اگر فرياد تحسين آميز تماشاگران و عطر مستی آور گلهايی که برايت فرستاده اند به تو فرصت هوشياری داد بنشين و نامه ام را بخوان. من پدر تو هستم.امروز نوبت توست که صدای کف زدن های تماشاگران گاهی تو را به آسمانها ببرد.به آسمانها برو ولی گاهی هم به روی زمين بيا و زندگی مردم را تماشا کن; زندگی آنان که با شکم گرسنه در حالی که پاهايشان از بينوايی می لرزدو هنرنمايی می کنند. من خود يکی از ايشان بوده ام.جرالدين دخترم ,تو مرا درست نمی شناسی در آن شب های بس دور با تو قصه ها بسيار گفتم اما غصه های خود را هرگز نگفتم آن هم داستانی شنيدنی است.
داستان آن دلقک گرسنه که در پست ترين صحنه های لندن آواز می خواند و صدقه می گيرد, داستان من است.من طعم گرسنگی را چشيده ام.من درد نابسامانی را کشيده ام.و از اينها بالاتر رنج حقارت آن دلقک دوره گرد را که اقيانوسی از غرور در دلش موج می زند و سکه صدقه آن رهگذر غرورش را خرد نمی کند. با اين همه زنده ام و از زندگان پيش از آنکه بميرند حرفی نبايد زد. به دنبال نام تو نام من است :"چاپلين"
جرالدين دخترم, دنيايی که تو در آن زندگی می کنی, دنيای هنرپيشگی و موسيقی است.نيمه شب آن هنگام که از سالن پرشکوه تئاتر شانزه ليزه بيرون می آيی, آن ستايشگران ثروتمند را فراموش کن .حال آن راننده تاکسی که تو را به منزل ميرساند بپرس .حال زنش را بپرس و اگر آبستن بود و پولی برای خريد لباس بچه نداشت ,مبلغی پنهانی در جيبش بگذار. به نماينده خود در پاريس دستور داده ام فقط وجه اين نوع خرجهای تو را بی چون و چرا بپردازد.اما برای خرجهای ديگر بايد صورت حساب ان را بفرستی.
دخترم جرالدين گاه و بی گاه با مترو و اتوبوس شهر را بگرد و مردم را نگاه کن. زنان بيوه ,کودکان يتيم را بشناس و دست کم روزی يک بار بگو:من هم از آنان هستم.تو واقعا يکی از آنان هستی و نه بيشتر.هنر قبل از اينکه دو بال به انسان بدهد اغلب دو پای او را ميشکند . وقتی به مرحله ای رسيدی که خود را برتر تماشاگران خويش بدانی, همان لحظه تئاتر را ترک کن و با تاکسی خود را به حوم�� پاريس برسان. من آنجا را خوب می شناسم.آنجا بازيگران همانند خويش را خواهی ديد که از قرن ها پش زيبا تر از تو ,چالاکتر از تو و مغرور تر از تو هنرنمايی ميکنند.اما در آنجا از نور خيره کننده تئاتر شانزه ليزه خبری نيست.
دخترم جرالدين ,چکی سفيد امضا برايت فرستاده ام که هر چه دلت می خواهدبگيری و خرج کنی. ولی هر وقت خواستی دو فرانک خرج کنی با خود بگو:سومين فرانک از آن م�� نيست.اين مال يک مرد فقير و گمنام است که امشب به يک فرانک احتياج دارد.جست و جو لازم نيست.اين نيازمندان گمنام را اگر بخواهی همه جا خواهی يافت. اگر از پول و سکه برای تو حرف می زنم برای آن است که از نيروی فريب و افسون پول ,اين فرزند بی جان شيطان خوب آگاهم. من زمانی دراز در سيرک زيسته و هميشه و هر لحظه برای بند بازان روی ريسمانی بس نازک و لرزنده نگران بوده ام. اما دخترم اين حقيقت را بگويم که مردم بر روی زمين استوار و گسترده بيشتر از بند بازان ريسمان نا استوار سقوط می کنند.
دخترم جرالدين ,پدرت با تو حرف می زند. شايد شبی درخشش گرانبهاترين الماس اين جهان تو را فريب بدهد و آن شب است که این الماس, آن ريسمان نا استوار زير پای تو خواهد بود و سقوط تو حتمی است. روزی که چهره زيبای يک اشراف زاده بی بند و بار تو را بفريبد آن روز است که بند بازی ناشی خواهی بود. هميشه بند بازان ناشی سقوط می کنند از اين رو دل به زر و زيور نبند. بزرگترين الماس اين جهان آفتاب است که خوشبختانه بر گردن همه می درخشد. اما اگر روزی دل به مردی آفتاب گونه بستی ,با او يک دل باش و به راستی او را دوست بدار. معنی اين را وظيفه خود در قبال اين موضوع بدان. به مادرت گفته ام که در اين خصوص برای تو نامه ای بنويسد. او از من بهتر معنی عشق را می داند. او برای تعريف "عشق "که معنی آن" يکدلی" است شايسته تر از من است.دخترم هيچ کس و هيچ چيز ديگر در اين جهان نمی توان يافت که شايسته آن باشد.دختری ناخن پای خود را برای آن عريان می کند. برهنگی بيماری عصر ما است. به گمان من تن تو ,بايد مال کسی باشد که روحش را برای تو عريان کرده است.حرف بسيار برای تو دارم ,ولی به وقت ديگر می گذارم.و با اين آخرين پيام نامه را پايان می بخشم. انسان باش, پاک دل و يکدل ;زيرا گرسنه بودن, صدقه گرفتن و در فقر مردن بارها قابل تحمل تر از پست و بی عاطفه بودن است.

پدر تو ,چارلی چاپلين

[Jacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A LIFE. WHAT A MAN.

He’s immortal in his movies—a presence just as relatable, alive, spritely, forgivable, universal, and hilarious as mankind can be as the Tramp. His spirit is captured in this character; it’s inescapable—you can’t miss it! You can’t look away! The accuracy absorbs your minutest attentions—to think we see ourselves painstakingly and clearly portrayed in footage over a hundred years old!

That’s what makes him timeless. That honesty, that reality. That, and his humanitarian philosophy towards every living thing, his constant and genuine alliance with the underdog.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars - Dutch paperback

I pity folks who don't permit themselves the luxury of indulging in silent era cinema. If I could travel back in time I'd partake of all the wonders from the magic lantern, mutoscopes, & kinetoscopes of nickelodeons to movie palaces.

My favorite silent pictures include -- Teinosuke Kinugasa's "A Page of Madness", Robert Wiene's "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", F.W Murnau's "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans", "Faust" & "Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horror", Leni Riefenstahl's "Das blaue Licht" (The Blue Light) & "Olympia", Lucien Hubbard's "Wings", Lotte Reiniger "Adventures of Prince Achmed', King Vidor's "The Crowd", Ted Wilde's "Speedy", Harold Lloyd's.

The London Cinema Museum is a great resource for the history & memorabilia of film & they just happen to be located in the Old Lambeth Workhouse where Charlie Chaplin went as a child.

Of all the stars of the silent screen Charlie Chaplin stands out as the brightest.
David Robinson's "Charlie Chaplin, His Life and Art" is, in my opinion, the finest of the numerous volumes written about him.

The 792 pages are filled with wonderful detail about this most amazing character his life, loves, the highs and lows.. Anything you may want to know is here. The book is well written and an easy read.

[Mohamad asgari · Rating 4 out of 5]

جالبه همین



من رنج آن دلقک دوره گرد را که اقيانوسی از غرور در دلش موج می زند اما سکه صدقه رهگذر خودخواهی آن را می خشکاند احساس کرده ام.

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic, chock full of stories and anecdotes and meticulously researched. Highly recommended.

[berthamason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Andrewh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it did occasionally skirt with the hagiographic end of bios, this is probably about as good a book about the legendary comic actor/director you could find. It takes a conventional approach, with the usual slightly tedious trawl through his impoverished early life in Kennington (dad died early of the drink, and his mother was mentally ill, so he and Syndey, naturally enough, went on stage to earn a crust), through to the early days in music hall (his first appearance was in Sherlock Holmes), then with the famous Fred Karno troupe (alongside Stan Jefferson-Laurel) and so on, until he reached and conquered Hollywood and then became the most famous man in the world, as you do. After CC arrives in what was then the silent era, the biography focuses on his career film by film, and takes you behind the scenes of Charlie's agonising directorial style and his political-personal troubles. The latter are dealt with fairly sympathetically here but to 21C eyes his proclivity for 17-year-old actresses does look a bit inopportune. His political troubles are easier to sympathise with - he was an auto-didact who liked to hob-nob with famous intellectuals but his liberal political ideas were somewhat under-developed and slightly sentimental, and his films reflect this (see the Great Dictator and Modern Times, for example). Many see Chaplin as a direct heir to the Dickensian tradition and this book lends credibility to that view, I think.

[bup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think you have to like Chaplin to get through this book. I love Chaplin. So I'm glad there's a biography so thorough as this one, that collects in 632 pages and 100 pages of appendices pretty much every thing you might want to know about him.

It took me a while to get through (partly because I kept going to youtube to watch films as I was reading those parts, and watching the 3-episode Unknown Chaplin, which BBC production came out around the same time as this book and is almost a companion piece to it).

The book breaks down into two main parts - his childhood and his movies. His childhood is like a Dickens novel until he gets on a tour of the US with the Karno troupe. After he gets into movie making, the periods of his life are defined by his contracts (for the two-reeler periods), and then by each movie he made (once he was his own boss). The man lived his work.

So, if you want to know if you should read this book, and you've never seen The Gold Rush or The Kid or Shoulder Arms or A Dog's Life or The Pilgrim or City Lights or Modern Times, watch one or two of them first. If you're blown away, and you think about the fact that he directed and wrote them and scored them as well as starring in them, go ahead and seek this book out.

[JJ Khodadadi · Rating 1 out of 5]

کتابی 43 صفحه‌ای حاوی زندگی نامه‌ای بسیار خلاصه و نامه چارلی چاپلین برای دخترش و تصاویر چارلی و اعضای خانواده در دوره‌های مختلف
متن نامه بسیار شیرین و زیباست اما تنها 7 صفحه از کتاب را شامل می‌شود.
زندگی نامه بسیار خلاصه و در حالاتی گنگ بیان شده و شامل 9 صفحه است.
بقیه کتاب تنها تصاویر گاها بی کیفتی است که فقط برای بالابردن تعداد صفحات به چاپ رسیده است!
یک امتیاز فقط برای متن نامه

[HoMa Me]

چارلی چه زیبا می گوید:
مردمان بر روی زمین استوار، بیشتر از بند بازان بر روی ریسمان نا استوار، سقوط می کنند .

[Azadeh]

دل به زروزیور نبند،زیرا بزرگترین الماس این جهان آفتاب است و این الماس بر گردن همه میدرخشد.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too-adoring biography always takes the best view of Chaplin's often checkered personal life, and doesn't really dig into the drive for control that made Chaplin one of the first modern artists.

[Lucija · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it's mostly a photo album.

[Harvey Hênio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, mais conhecido como Charlie Chaplin, nascido na Inglaterra em 1889 e falecido na Suíça em 1977, creio, dispensa maiores apresentações.
Ator, diretor, produtor, roteirista, músico, compositor foi o gênio (epíteto que ele detestava) responsável por verdadeiras e aclamadas obras primas do cinema tais como “Vida de cachorro” (1918), “O garoto” (1921), “Em busca do ouro” (1925), “O circo” (1928), “Luzes da cidade” (1931), “Tempos modernos” (1936), “O grande ditador” (1940), “Luzes da ribalta” (1952).
Sua turbulenta, brilhante e multifacetada trajetória é contada, de forma talvez até excessivamente minuciosa, nesse ótimo livro intitulado “Chaplin; Uma biografia definitiva” de autoria do crítico de cinema e historiador britânico, nascido em 1930, David Robinson.
O autor se esmerou em reproduzir cartas, depoimentos, impressões e detalhes técnicos que, às vezes tornam a leitura um tanto cansativa, mas em todos os aspectos que realmente interessam na vida do ��cone Charlie Chaplin ele se sai muito bem e a experiência da leitura, ao fim e ao cabo dela, é por demais gratificante.
São fascinantes as questões ligadas ao gradual nascimento do “vagabundo” Carlitos, talvez a maior criação de Chaplin assim como aspectos técnicos ligados ao processo de criação dos roteiros, atuações, pantomimas, cenários, escolha de elenco e mesmo tecnicalidades como iluminação, fotografia, quantidade de película gasta em cada filme etc.
A biografia ganha musculatura quando o autor aborda temas realmente polêmicos da vida de Chaplin como a sua resistência ao cinema falado que, segundo ele, seria uma “moda passageira”, a sua nem sempre harmônica relação com as várias mulheres de sua vida, seus filhos e, a sua pioneira defesa da abertura de um segundo front na Europa para combater os nazistas e unir esforços à URSS, a sua corajosa denúncia da pobreza e da miséria e sua igualmente corajosa defesa da elevação do nível de vida da classe trabalhadora e talvez, principalmente ( e lamentavelmente), a perseguição que ele sofreu nos USA na época da “caça às bruxas macarthista” em que ele foi acusado de “comunista”, “devasso”, “anti-patriótico” e como ele, humanista e pacifista que era, sofreu a ponto de ser obrigado a deixar os USA e viver na Europa até a sua morte em 1977.
As homenagens, à guisa de reparação, que lhe foram feitas no final de sua vida, não foram suficientes para que ele superasse completamente o trauma das injustas perseguições que sofreu e, no final, ele era um homem realmente desiludido com a humanidade que ele tanto tentou aprimorar com sua arte.
Excelente!

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, dense, detailed and incredibly informative book. Every detail of Chaplin's life is examined from the very early days right up to the infamous "grave robbing" incident. As a fan of Chaplin's since I was a child, this book as always been a "must read" for me and it didn't disappoint. Robinson lays everything out clearly and allows for many fun little details to be tossed in as well. This book is not for the light of heart - at over 700 pages the information comes fast and furiously, but I soaked up every word. Chaplin was and is a genius in filmmaking and created everything we know in modern cinema.

To truly appreciate this book, you must be quite familiar with the filmography of Chaplin. Fortunately, throughout my life I have seen (almost) all of his shorts, along with his feature films. Robinson goes into vivid detail in regards to each specific film - if you haven't seen them, I can see this being incredibly laborious. For a Chaplin fan, it was a true pleasure.

To top it all off, I bought this book from an antique shop for $10 and was shocked to notice on the front page of the book, an autograph from the author himself! What a find.

[Joe Norman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first third or so of this book is fascinating. It recounts Chaplin’s childhood in London, his entry into the world of London’s music halls, and follows him to the States. He is “discovered” and goes to Los Angeles at the near inception of silent movies. Chaplin’s genius was his intuitive ability to act in a way that transcended the distance between actor and audience inherent in the medium of film. He mastered every aspect of movie making starting with his pantomime comedy and extending to the direction of the actors and cutting/editing what the film had captured. He was a founder of the new art of movies.
Regrettably, the rest of the book reads is a rather plodding account of Chaplin’s mid and late career. This portion of the book gets lost in its unrestrained adoration of the man. The Chaplin who appears here is a cardboard cut-off cleaned of any faults or mistakes.
Chaplin was a genius. The book wonderfully captures that genius. Unfortunately, Chaplin the man is nowhere to be found.

[Richard Pett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll start by saying I'm not a big Chaplin fan, but he's one of those iconic figures that I hugely respect so I wanted to know more about him and this book came the best recommended. It's a classic and had me hooked right the way through, it's already been said by much better people than me that it won't be bettered and you can see why, the author has done a fabulous and monumental job in bringing everything about Chaplin together. My only regret was that there was not enough about Chaplin's life outside his work but the title tells you what you get so I'll go back to that subject later through Chaplin's own words. This is a fantastic book.

[Arun Kondpalle]

What a fine biography.. The intertwining of Chaplin's life with his art is done flawlessly, without compromising the authenticity of narrative. Chaplin the artist, the intimate and somewhat irritable person with the immediate close ones, and the rebel speaker when it comes to voicing opinions on contemporary politics and the social order, all three are presented with authentic juxtaposition of facts and events, painstakingly researched!! Hats off to David Robinson the author par excellence! A biography worth reading over and over!!

[Ali Rehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Star who made millions of people laugh lived such a contrast in his real life. His struggles are highlighted earlier in the book. His ascent to the fame world is brilliantly described with author dissecting his vision behind his acting, writing and direction skills. Book also explains how he became a victim of being pro communist whereas he was above such discrimination. The best part reading this biography is that he made me start watching his movies again and reconnect me to childhood

[Sarbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

این کتاب از دو بخش تشکیل شده است: در بخش اول به معرفی زندگی چارلی چاپلین و آثارش پرداخته شده ؛ در بخش دوم نامه‌ های چارلی چاپلین به دخترش، جرالدین چاپ شده است.چارلی چاپلین دخترش جرالدین را مورد خطاب قرار می‌ دهد و از تمام مسائلی حرف می‌زند که در زندگی با آن دست‌و‌پنجه نرم می‌کرده است و شیوه زندگی که می‌تواند از او انسانی به تمام معنا بسازد.
http://sarbook.com/product/338671

[ِElahe · Rating 1 out of 5]

با وجود مشکلات زیاد، اتهامات و ازدواج‌های ناموفقی که وی در طول زندگی‌ش با آن مواجه شد، توانست در زندگی مردم اوایل قرن بیستم تاتیر
بسزایی داشته باشد. او بیش از هر کس دیگری مردم را خنداند و روش زندگی و طرز تفکر مردم زمان خودش را تغییر داد و این بزرگترین کاری است که یک هنرمند میتواند در زندگی خود انجام دهد. در تمامی آثار و فیلم های وی میتوان تلخی زندگی واقعی چارلی چاپلین را احساس کرد.

[Dermot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A necessary read after 'My Autobiography' by the man himself. Robinson provides great details around the films produced and about all of the characters employed, in front of and behind the cameras. Importantly, Robinson provides great insight into Chaplin the man, a complex, intelligent and gregarious character. An incentive to find our more about this giant of the 20th century world of cinema.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting indeed. A comprehensive study of a true creative.

It took me a long time to read because a) it is a huge book and b) I kept breaking off to watch the films Robinson referred to, on Youtube. (They are still funny and just as relevant today.)