Classic Movies on Sky Arts - Series 5 Episode 2 - The Story of Chaplin

 

I thought this might be a strange choice, a film about Charlie Chaplin. In the end, Chaplin seems to be a marvellous film. This episode starts with a lot about the back story of this famous comedian. From his roots in England (there are extracts from a newsreel where the actor is unrecognisable as the clown, with his classy British accent) and extreme poverty to the riches of Hollywood. Ian Nathan tells us about the "sensational central performance by Robert Downey Jr", who portrays the man on and off screen, from teenager to octogenarian. 

Christina Newland talked about his genius and the "lush period detail" of the movie. Neil Norman added it's a "rags to riches" story. But Steven Armstrong mentions that the film is "laced with tragedy" and about the costs of fame. Ian Nathan thought the film was a "fabulous portrait" of early Hollywood. 

We then hear about the director, Richard Attenborough, who had actually specialised in biopics, and how he made the transition from acting to directing. Christina explains how he became a national treasure. It was then Neil Norman who tells us how Attenborough had to get the Chaplin family on board. Christina adds that he had already bought the rights to two books about Chaplin, but that the studio, Universal Pictures, was not impressed by the subject. The fact that Attenborough also wanted a budget of 30 million dollars put a stop to their interest. 

The film was saved by Corolco (I had never heard of this production company). They had made a fortune from the Rambo movies, and so maybe wanting something of a higher class, they decided to finance the entire film. Next we hear about the cast. Robert Downey Jr worked so hard on his preparation over nearly a year. Steven Armstrong tells us about his screen test and that certain physical resemblance. Neil Norman says he was "absolutely perfect in the role". Ian Nathan takes us through the supporting cast with a special mention for Dan Akroyd. The script was by Bryan Forbes, William Boyd (one of my favourite authors) and Willaim Goldman.

The main thread of the movie involves a book editor, played by Anthony Hopkins, talking to Chaplin about his life. We hear about the theme composed by John Barry. Neil Norman ends by saying how Downey Jr was perfect in the role and how it is "one of the few really good biopics". Ian Nathan explains how the film didn't do well when it was released but has stood the test of time, with Downey Jr nominated for a best actor Oscar.