Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Paul Rhys

Sir Richard Attenborough's biographical film of the life and times of Charles Chaplin is a little thin as a narrative, but it is so charmingly creative and ultimately moving, it's hard to care about a...( read more  read more... )ny deficits. Robert Downey Jr. does an excellent job re-creating Chaplin's graceful slapstick and getting inside the silent-film superstar's head over many years of triumph, defeat, scandal, official persecution, exile, and inner peace. A huge cast portray the allies, friends, lovers, and enemies in Chaplin's life, including Moira Kelly as his final, longtime wife, Oona, Kevin Kline as Douglas Fairbanks, Geraldine Chaplin as Charlie's mother, and James Woods as a prosecutor working hard to nail Chaplin for anti-American sentiments. Attenborough declines to tell the story in a flat, linear way, employing such clever techniques as detailing one chapter in Chaplin's life as a silent comedy. The climactic scene set at an Oscar tribute for Chaplin will get the tears flowing. --Tom Keogh

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82% liked it

18,497 ratings

PG-13, 2 hrs. 25 min.

Directed by: Richard Attenborough

Release Date: December 18, 1992

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DVD Release Date: July 25, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (1,013)


  • September 29, 2009
    A brilliant biography. Attenborough & Downey Jr bring Chaplin to life in this brutally honest adaption of his own autobiography. I particularly like Kline's Douglas Fairbanks in a supporting role.
  • July 16, 2009
    Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely unforgettable, a classic performance capturing the essence and creative genious of one of the most popular pop icons of the twentyith century. Kevin Kline is brilliant. A creative, charming, dazzeling and incredable masterpiece of a film by Directo...( read more)r, Sir Richard Attenborough. It's truly moving, passionate, wonderfully funny and riveting. This is how a biographical film should be. A plesant, wonderful and magnificent gem. It's extroadinary, utterly excellent and breathtaking. One of the greatest films ever made.
  • June 23, 2009
    Robert Downey Jr's uncanny performance carries the whole movie from start to finish. Comeback or not, I'll always remember this as his best performance, yet. Kudos to every bit of Chaplin's artistic/physical abilities shown through the movie: on stage or in front of the camera, a...( read more)s part of his real life (the film cans robbery is pure genius), Downey Jr pulls it off like a master.

    Excellent biopic!
  • February 21, 2009
    "Everyone has a wild side. Even a legend."

    A film about the troubled and controversial life of the master comedy filmmaker.

    REVIEW
    Even if you're not a Charlie Chaplin fan like me, this movie is still a must-see for all avid movie goers out there. Dir...( read more)ected by Lord Richard Attenborough, also the creator of another biopic-"Gandhi", Chaplin is a wonderful portrayal of an incredible icon, the highs and the lows, the triumphs and the failures. We take a special look into the life of one of Hollywood's most celebrated cultural pop icons and quite possibly one of the greatest comics of all time. While not really a masterpiece in any way as the film tends to jump around a bit from scene to scene, however, under the watchful eye of Attenborough, the film packs a neat punch and leaves a lasting impression to the audience. The technicals are also worth noting, from Sven Nykvist's mesmerizing Oscar nominated cinematography and John Barry's haunting and enchanting music score which was put to great effect in one of the film's highlights: the opening scene.

    Robert Downey Jr. gives the performance of a lifetime as Chaplin, his best performance to date I might add. He captured the essence of Chaplin down to the gait, accent and gestures. He completely disappeared into the role no matter what stage of life the character was in, from the young would-be entertainer from vaudeville, to the dashing and charming early 30's in Hollywood and old, fragile man in exile - he easily complimented Chaplin's quirkiness and joyous persona and all the while still creating a real human being on screen. Not only RDJ's best performance but also one of the most impressive performance of the 90's. An energetic Kevin Kline as Doug Fairbanks was a stand out among the supporting cast and the performances from the rest of the cast were very good indeed.

    The ending where Chaplin is being awarded with a lifetime achievement Oscar is hauntingly beautiful topped off with Downey's award winning tears and John Barry's alluring music, a great ending for a great film.
  • February 8, 2009
    Robert Downey, Jr is brilliant as Charlie Chapln. Chaplin gives us the life of Charlie Chaplin in a chronological layout aided by a fictitious writer portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Personally, I don't feel the writer helped the story move along well. Instead of being a seamles...( read more)s film, it seemed chopped by the addition of the writer. Overall the acting and cinematography is very well done in Chaplin. The film warrants viewing just to glimpse the man behind the comedian and the genius filmmaker Charlie Chaplin.
  • November 16, 2009
    ya, i would like to see ii.
  • November 12, 2009
    A movie that portrays Chaplin's personal life; which wasn't all that funny. Its also a harsh look at reality at how Charlie Chaplin was just as human as anyone. His work and life was dedicated to making people laugh which deeply affects his personal life. This movie is very well ...( read more)made and it honestly has been a while to see a movie that doesn't exaggerate how life was in the early 1900s. It felt in a way; right.
  • November 8, 2009
    Robert didn't just act the part of Chaplin, he became him. I don't think I have ever seen a better performance in my life. He definitely should have won the Oscar that year.
  • November 3, 2009
    gOOD MOVIE...Downey is a great stand-in for Chaplin. Only Depp or Downey would work for this part and waiting to see Deep in it next!!
  • October 25, 2009
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  • ModernChaplin06
    July 16, 2007
    This has to be one of the greatest biopics i have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!! Robert Downey Jr IS chaplin in this movie, you couldnt have asked for a better chaplin. i thought the music in this movie was great as well John Barry's best scores..........
  • carolbonarde
    January 5, 2007
    Oh, what a magnificent performance of Robert Downey Jr. A really amazing film as well, with great actors like Kevin Kline that really knows how to put a tear on your eyes.

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Chaplin Trivia


  • Adolf Hitler banned this Charlie Chaplin film in Germany and all countries occupied by the nazis. However, Hitler did view the movie twice. Upon hearing this, Chaplin said, "I'd give anything to know what he thought of it." Which movie was it?  Answer »
  • The 1952 movie Limelight features two legends from the silent film era together on screen for the first and only time. Which two actors were they?  Answer »
  • True or false: Charlie Chaplin once came third place in a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like contest?  Answer »
  • In the 1992 movie "Chaplin", Geraldine Chaplin played the late silent-movie legend's mother. In real life, how is she related to Charlie Chaplin?  Answer »

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