Chaplin: His Life and Art [Hardcover]

David Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1985

Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977) revolutionized the language of cinema and became one of the most loved performers of all time. But he was also a man plagued by loneliness and driven by the search for artistic perfection. His life was an extraordinarily dramatic one, and David Robinson explores the often tragic story of Chaplin’s alcoholic father; his mentally disturbed mother; his marriages to very young women; the “white slavery” case against him; and his persecution by anti-Communist forces during the McCarthy era, which ultimately forced Chaplin to leave America. Chaplin—the only biography written with full access to his archives—contains many provocative revelations about his private life, romances, business dealings, and the making of his magical films. The text is studded with unexpected gems, from the multilingual lyrics of his song in Modern Times (the first time his voice was heard on the screen) to the step-by-step choreography of his celebrated dance with the balloon globe of the world in The Great Dictator. The author tells of the many famous figures who sought Chaplin out, including Picasso, Gandhi, and Krushchev. The book vividly recreates the different worlds in which Chaplin moved: from Victorian to Edwardian London, through the glamorous birth and sad decline of Hollywood’s studio system, to the nightmare of McCarthyism, after which America once again came to adore the ”Little Tramp.”Illustrated with eighty pages of rare photographs from the family albums, Chaplin contains a detailed chronology, filmography, list of theater tours, a summary of the secret FBI file on him, and a Chaplin who’s who. This is the definitive and monumental biography of a mesmerizing artist.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Of the many books about Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), among them the Tramp's own charming but evasive 1964 autobiography, this magisterial volume does by far the best job of detailing and analyzing his genius as a filmmaker. Chaplin's widow allowed David Robinson to examine their personal archives in Switzerland, and he makes good use of this access in his meticulous descriptions of the movies that created the legend, including City Lights and Modern Times. Robinson is less interested in Chaplin's tumultuous personal life, skating rather lightly over the lawsuits and scandals that plagued his later years in the United States. No matter: Chaplin lovers will find their understanding of his films enhanced; those unfamiliar with his artistry will learn why an actor-director whose greatest work was done before 1940 remains a key figure in the history of motion pictures. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

LJ's reviewer asserted that Robinson offers "unprecedented insights into Chaplin's methods in this thorough biography" (LJ 9/1/85), although he added that the book should be read in conjunction with Robinson's other Chaplin titles. For film and biography collections.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 792 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1st edition (1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070531811
• ISBN-13: 978-0070531819
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Cradle To Grave: Truly A Life Between Two Book Covers!, October 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Chaplin: His Life and Art (Paperback)

This is absolutely the best book I've ever read on Chaplin, his life, and his films. It details his childhood and family life in England, his new life in the US, his exile to Switzerland, and best of all, his films and his film making techniques (or lack thereof). Robinson has done a fantastic job here! Includes interviews with Rollie (his cameraman), Kono (his butler), and many many others. This book really is an entire life between two book covers. If all you know about Chaplin is from the Robert Downey Jr film "Chaplin", forget that, and start fresh with this book. It will take you a while to read this pretty thick book, but it is definitely the best bio I've ever read on anyone in any field. Absolutely wonderful, and I've read this several times. I plan to re-read it many more times too. Don't miss this one... it renders all other books on Chaplin obsolete.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best book about Chaplin, July 26, 2002

By 

Mark Pollock "educator" (Davis, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chaplin: His Life and Art (Paperback)

Robinson is the premier researcher on the life of Charles Chaplin, and this book is the result - a fact filled, balanced book that allows equal focus on Chaplins films and personal life. Most books tend to focus on WAY too much personal life and innuendo, but Robinson avoids this problem, and makes a good book that truly encompasses the entire life of Chaplin.

Robinson's book includes a well detailed filmography, scripts from several early Keystone films, excellent appendices, and many rare pictures. My only complaint is that many of the pictures could be printed much better, and larger too.

Superb reading!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Chaplin, January 10, 2005

By 

JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chaplin: His Life and Art (Hardcover)

David Robinson has written the definitive biography of Charlie Chaplin. It is largely the basis for the movie "Chaplin" because it was authorized by the legend himself and thoroughly explores his life to a greater extent than his autobiography. It is truly a moving and informative work.

Robinson begins his chronology of Chaplin's life in his childhood. He was largely orphaned by his alcoholic father and was only allowed to spend time with his mother while she was mentally healthy. It was through a failed performance of his mother than he got his first taste of acting as a child. From this point, he would devote almost all of the rest of his 87 years to entertainment. In his youth, he specialized in the stage productions which entertained England. He got his first taste of America on one of these traveling tours. On a later tour, he was offered a contract by an American film company. Chaplin agreed to honor his stage contract before beginning his film career.

The book documents with reasonably precise details the process of each film he released in addition to one the public never saw and the final project he never started. Through this filmography, we see the development of "the tramp" character. With each film, the character moves closer to the final product we know.

Chaplin's personal life is well documented. Unlike the autobiography all four wives are addressed, even the one Chaplin was not very fond of discussing. The fact that his first two wives were young is not avoided. However, it must be put in perspective that people did marry and have babies a lot sooner in those days. It is only unique in Chaplin's case because the husband/father is famous and much older. Despite his work for America during war time and a professed love for the country, the slanderous allegations of McCarthyism, also known as the 1950's witch hunt for communists, forced him to finish his life away from the country he loved. Truly the red scare is made to be a more terrible embarrassment to America by this result.

Today's cinematic audience has little appreciation for the roots of the art form. Charlie Chaplin was a revolutionary and founding father in the film industry. Reading about his life is only a step in appreciating his brilliant work.