Limelight (1952)

96% of critics liked it
(26 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(6,239 ratings)

London, 1914. Calvero (Charles Chaplin), a once-great music hall comedian, weaves drunkenly home to his shabby flat. As he arrives home, he is suddenly sobered by a bad smell. It isn't his shoes, as he originally assumes, but the smell of gas, emanating from behind a locked door. Calvero smashes his… More London, 1914. Calvero (Charles Chaplin), a once-great music hall comedian, weaves drunkenly home to his shabby flat. As he arrives home, he is suddenly sobered by a bad smell. It isn't his shoes, as he originally assumes, but the smell of gas, emanating from behind a locked door. Calvero smashes his way in, finding the unconscious Terry (Claire Bloom). Carrying the girl to his attic apartment, Calvero revives Terry, then asks why she is so determined to kill herself. The girl explains that she has always dreamed of becoming a great dancer, but her legs are paralyzed. Calvero vows to raise enough money to help the girl. He goes back on stage, where his old-fashioned act is greeted with a riot of silence. Now it is Terry's turn to encourage Calvero to go on living-and in so doing, she regains the use of her legs. Hired by the Empire theatre corps de ballet, Terry arranges for the management to hire Calvero as a supernumerary. Impresario Postant (Nigel Bruce), not recognizing the famous Calvero in clown makeup, fires him. Only after Terry pleads with Postant to give Calvero another chance does the producer relent, securing a comeback appearance for the ageing comedian and his old partner (Buster Keaton). Calvero's antics bring down the house, just like the old days, but the effort is too much for the old fellow, and he collapses backstage. As Calvero dies, he proudly watches his protegee Terry carry on the "show must go on tradition" by dancing for the crowd. Thanks to the political climate of the time, Limelight was denied a wide distribution; in fact, it didn't play Los Angeles until 1972, twenty years after its completion. At that time, Chaplin's theme music, which had gained popularity on the "hit parade," was honored with an Academy Award. While the film has moments of unmatched hilarity (especially during the fabled Chaplin-Keaton teaming towards the end), the elegiac tone of Limelight was best summed up by critic Andrew Sarris: "To imagine one's own death, one must imagine the death of the world, that world which has always dangled so helplessly from the tips of Chaplin's eloquent fingers." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 2 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Charles Chaplin
Written By: Charles Chaplin
Genres: Drama, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1952 Limited
On DVD: Mar 28, 2011

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
What comes through most clearly in Limelight, however, is that Chaplin had come to terms with his life.
, TIME Magazine
Intended as a tragicomedy, if not a tearjerker, it is a two-thirds bore that comes to life in the last half-hour or so, when the old-master clown stops trying to be pathetic and reverts to his inimitable proper stuff.
Variety Staff, Variety
Departing from most forms of Hollywood stereotype, the film has a flavor all its own in the sincere quality of the story anent the onetime great vaudemime and his rescue of a femme ballet student.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Neither comedy nor tragedy altogether, it is a brilliant weaving of comic and tragic strands, eloquent, tearful and beguiling with supreme virtuosity.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Charles Chaplin's 1952 film is overlong, visually flat, episodically constructed, and a masterpiece.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Chaplin, as usual, is the whole show, superb in this swansong statement about his own career and the old-style entertainment he best represented.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
Elements of self parody from the master of slapstick leave you yearning for the early work that made his name. But it's worth a watch to see Chaplin and Keaton in one of few on-screen appearances together.
Christopher Lloyd, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Limelight seems stuck in time, even for 1952. The un-ironic pathos and sentimental humanism seems almost quaint in the post-Hitler world. But that's Chaplin for you - a man who lived by, and wrote, his own rules.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Chaplin's least funny film.
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
Premiering in 1952 when Chaplin was 63 years old, this melancholy reverie is a heartfelt expression of nostalgia for the Edwardian London music-halls of his youth, rich with deeply personal sentiment and warmly realized autobiographical fantasy.
Mark Bourne, DVDJournal.com
[The MK2/Warner Home Video Chaplin Collection DVD] looks terrific. Throughout the spotless print, the grayscale and definition are excellent (although occasionally the inky blacks make us wonder if the contrast wasn't boosted one notch too far).
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Few cinema artists have delved into their own lives and emotions with such ruthlessness and with such moving results.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Chaplin at his most melancholy. Not his best work, but the short time he and Keaton are on stage together is priceless.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Michael G

Limelight is an incredibly beautiful, incredibly sad and at points incredibly funny movie. The cinematography is outstanding and the set design (namely during the Columbine sequence) was beautiful. Speaking of beautiful, Claire Bloom has never looked more lovely. Charles… More
Limelight is an incredibly beautiful, incredibly sad and at points incredibly funny movie. The cinematography is outstanding and the set design (namely during the Columbine sequence) was beautiful. Speaking of beautiful, Claire Bloom has never looked more lovely. Charles Chaplin's turn as Calvero is poignant and touching, almost as much as his script. Limelight is an all around great movie but the scene with Chaplin and Buster Keaton steals the show. The story starts bottoming out a little into the second hour but still a great movie. Proof that Chaplin was just as good after he started talking in his movies...
AJ V

An interesting late Chaplin film, the highlight of Limelight for me was the scene with Keaton, other than that I found the movie pretty boring, but if you're a fan of his you should check this movie out.
Pierluigi P

bittersweet reflection on Chaplin's own career. full of his characteristic bonhomie and tenderness. Buster Keaton's appearance marked the first and only time the two greatest comedians of the twentieth century were in the same film.
Dillon L

Even though I believe he ended up making a few more movies after this, 'Limelight' is clearly Charlie Chaplin's swan song. It could be called just as good as anything else he directed.
Bryce I

While being Chaplin's least funny film, the tearjerker affect is an interesting take for Chaplin. Being known for changing a genre single handed and then changing your style last minute is one of the riskiest things a film maker could do. Personally, I believe that Chaplin's… More
While being Chaplin's least funny film, the tearjerker affect is an interesting take for Chaplin. Being known for changing a genre single handed and then changing your style last minute is one of the riskiest things a film maker could do. Personally, I believe that Chaplin's change in character was a brilliant transition. Almost as if he took his most famous character "The Tramp" and changed his name. He always was one of the most talented actors in the business, but he never got a moment to show it. It's a masterpiece, and could easily be called Charlie's "Citizen Kane". But it's not an easy film. Boring at times, and it has a tendency to drag on. Not the most original film either, and even as the metaphor that it is, it does not show the cleverness or uniqueness that we are used to. But this is a brilliant film. Perhaps one of the best. Chaplin knew his cinema, and he always knew the right moments to make someone laugh. Or in this case, cry.
Matthew Y

A great example of a film that suffers from its running time. Limelight is simply too long at 2 1/2 hours. If it were 1hr 50mins or so I think this film would be considered a classic. It's an excellent swan song film for Chaplin & Keaton much like The Shooter was for John… More
A great example of a film that suffers from its running time. Limelight is simply too long at 2 1/2 hours. If it were 1hr 50mins or so I think this film would be considered a classic. It's an excellent swan song film for Chaplin & Keaton much like The Shooter was for John Wayne. For those who know the tale of Chaplin's life after pictures the allegory to the film is very strong. A brave and enjoyable semi-biopic.
Ivan D

Chaplin made this film not mainly to entertain people, but he created it as a personal contemplation about his career at the time, which, the same with Calvero, has seemingly lost its magic. And the ending is perfect, (not mentioning the Keaton-Chaplin sequence), a very symbolic and… More
Chaplin made this film not mainly to entertain people, but he created it as a personal contemplation about his career at the time, which, the same with Calvero, has seemingly lost its magic. And the ending is perfect, (not mentioning the Keaton-Chaplin sequence), a very symbolic and dramatic moment. The most poignant scene for me is the one where Calvero is wiping his make-up after a failed show, the subtle yet meaningful facial expressions shown by Chaplin summed up what his character is feeling: sad and frustrated. One of Chaplin's many displays of genius in this film.