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Charlie Chaplin Research Paper

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Rhiannon Jensen
Introduction to Film
January 31, 2015
A Humanitarian Hero
Charlie Chaplin was certainly an interesting character. Known as one of the world’s finest actors and filmmakers, he paved the way for much of what we know as modern film today. His films were his way of marking the world—a statement that he had been there and there he would stay. Chaplin had a great gift for telling a story through celluloid and used his gift to the best of his abilities. His life was filled with much adoration for his most beloved character Tramp, who starred in many of his films, and was left downtrodden when he tried to move away from the distinct style of the comedic fellow and was not successful in doing so. Much of Chaplin’s life is covered in …show more content…

He had a difficult childhood, dealt with the backstabbing world of Hollywood, and went through several, interesting marriages. During this time he also became a world icon who strived to create good films and attempted to break into the political field. His more political films were treated with dislike and he received a lot of backlash from them because of the McCarthy trials happening at the time. The biopic has a scene where Chaplin (Downey Jr.) is the only person in a room full of people who cares enough to go against a German man spreading his anti-Semitic propaganda. This spurs him to create the film The Great Dictator, which was a call to action in a time when the American people (and largely, the world) were standing by while the Jewish people were going through a genocide. In the Great Dictator, Chaplin tried to merge his iconic image of the Tramp with his real self and his real feelings on the political unrest happening at the time. To me, this makes him such an inspiring person. This movie began his decline in popularity, though. It removed the beloved and elevated status that the populace had raised their idea of him to (as the Tramp) and exposed the anti-foreigner fears that led to him being called a communist and eventually his …show more content…

You see this in his favorite film, The Gold Rush. While briefly mentioned in the biopic, this is one of his greatest accomplishments and Chaplin is quoted as saying that he hopes The Gold Rush is the film he is remembered most for. The movie is about the human race surviving through even the most difficult of circumstances. Inspired by the photo of men crossing Chilkoot Pass during the Klondike Gold Rush and the stories of the horror-fated Donner Party, Chaplin created a great story about humor and triumph in the otherwise uncaring and wild natural world. I think this a great reflection on Chaplin. In his biopic, Downey Jr. (as Chaplin) states that ‘If you want to understand me, watch my movies.’ Chaplin is a man much like his character The Tramp who tries to smile throughout the difficulties of life and bring humor to those who sorely need

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