Product Details

• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: May 19, 1998
• Run Time: 143 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300209733
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #420,913 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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 any 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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robert Downey Junior - The Bad Boy at His Best, July 4, 2004

By 

Robert W. Barnwell "BobTheCopywriter" (Starkville, MS, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chaplin (DVD)

If you're anything like me, the almost semi-annual relapse and recovery of Robert Downey Jr. has been an interesting periodic feature of the morning news. After a while one begins to question why does Hollywood put up with him when there is no shortage of talented actors desperately trying to make it in Hollywood? Why would producers and studios, who are so financially dependent on their productions going off without a hitch, take yet another chance on Robert Downey, Jr? Then I saw Chaplin, and I understood.

The intensity and power of the Robert Downey's performance in this film is the stuff of Oscars and true movie legend! It's both a beautiful performance and a beautiful film!

Somehow Sir Richard Attenborough got out of Downey the kind of performance that can sustain a career, and a legend. But Sir Richard's mastery didn't stop there. He got spectacular performance out of everyone, including a young, pre-X-Files David Duchovny. (I know I misspelled that. But you know who I mean.)

In summation, Robert Downey's performance is every bit the equal of James Dean's in Giant, East of Eden or Rebel without a Cause, and maybe that's what we should keep in mind. For unlike Dean, another self-destructive personality, Robert Downey has not driven off the cliff yet, and hopefully he never will.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dazzling Cinematic Experience..., January 2, 2004

By 

Kim Anehall "www.cinematica.org" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chaplin (DVD)

Charles Chaplin was one of the pioneers in film who brought us classics such as The Kid (1921), Gold Rush (1925), Modern Times (1936), and Great Dictator (1940). His many successes are still to this day considered masterpieces which he created, acted, directed, and edited. He had a brilliant eye for what the human mind was observing and he could make comedy out of almost anything. However, despite Chaplin's great sense of humor the recurrent theme in his life seems to be surrounded by sadness and loss where his escape was to help others feel a sense of joy. Chaplin is a brilliant cinematic story that has a fantastic cast and where the lead as Chaplin is managed brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr.. In addition, the story weaves in moments out of Chaplin's life where he got his ideas in an ingenious manner which displays the superb directing in the story. When the audience sees everything put together they will experience a dazzling cinematic experience.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chaplin - the movie, June 7, 2007

By 

Lana Ryder "HealthnMusic" (By the Water-East Coast) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chaplin (DVD)

Excellent biographical epic, with inspirational, amazing acting from Robert Downey, Jr., and the rest of the cast. Charlie Chaplin was truly a genius, and a beautiful human being. Robert Downey, Jr. "becomes" Chaplin - and the story of his life draws you in so completely, you will find yourself wanting to watch it again and again. When you hear the beautiful song, "Smile," you will always remember who wrote it, and the life of its author, Charlie Chaplin. Robert Downey does a great job on his own rendition of playing piano and singing Smile both on the soundtrack and his later released cd in 2006. For any serious movie lover, you must own this one. Check out the rest of the great cast!