Customer Reviews

Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin

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4 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Although parts of this biography of Sir Charles Chaplin are very. . . distrubing, it does also present Chaplin at his best. It is a great read for one wanting a little more of the personal take on the early history of Hollywood, and its colorful characters. The biography also deals with the blacklisting that occurred during the McCarthy communist inquisition, and Chaplin's stance and involvement. If you want to read nothing but the nice things in Chaplin's life, do not even open the front cover of this copy. If your admiration of Chaplin is for his work, and you can handle a tarnished side of Chaplin, then by all means, read this book!

This merciless attack is filled with unsubstantiated pronouncements (not to mention typos) about Chaplin including a diagnosis of manic-depressive personality disorder offered nearly twenty years after his death and with no research nor expertise to support it. And is Joyce Milton herself qualified to make this judgment? Of course not. While this discourse is passed off as well-researched, one look at the notes and citations shows a limited selection of sources with a clear intention--to topple Chaplin whom Milton simply does not like. It seems as if the thesis of this book was in place well before the "research" began. Such is the tone of personal invective Milton fobs off as insight. I would never claim that Charlie Chaplin was a saint; no one can reasonably make that assertion about anyone. Unfortunately, Joyce Milton shows how imperfect a writer can be. Sadly for her, she picks up where Kitty Kelly leaves off. Shameful.

I wish I had done a little research on this book before reading it. As it turned out when I was near the end of the book it struck me that I wish I hadn't bought or read it. Undoubtedly the author is a talented writer and an impressive researcher, but the book's almost nonexistant focus on Chaplin as a filmmaker should be a caution to any reader.

Before getting to the bulk of the book I will point out the one positive aspect of the book. Chaplin's childhood left me in awe. To say that it was tough doesn't even come close, and I couldn't help thinking how lucky he was to rise from nothing to the succesful filmmaker that he became. Then there is the rest of the story.

In the +500 pages of 'Tramp,' Joyce Milton concentrates on two aspects of Chaplin's life. First, the author details the many sad and destructive relationships Chaplin had with his wives, mistresses, and countless others in Hollywood. Almost no one comes out looking good in any of these relationships - not Chaplin or most of the women. For about thirty years, until his marriage to Oona O'Neill, it is one tarnished and ruined experience after another. Paulette Goddard is one of the few who comes out in any positive light. And of Oona O'Neill, the one woman that Chaplin seemed to be able to have anything resembling a successful relationship, we end up learning the very least.

Second, the author dedicates an excessive amount of space on Chaplin's Marxists views. The point is clear - it is the highest irony that a multimillionaire actor had such strong opposition to free enterprise. A lot can be said of that, and Milton takes every opportunity to do so. The endless cast of insigificant Communist sympathizers goes on and on. What a boring lot they were! Eventually I read over these parts with no care to retain any of the information. In the end it was just plain tiresome.

It was largely surprising how little space Milton spent on Chaplin as a filmmaker. Many of the chapter titles are Chaplin's own movie titles. Yet, for example, in the nearly 30-page chapter 'City Lignts,' if you were to string together the few paragraphs that actually deal with the movie 'City Lights' you'd be lucky to put together 2 or 3 pages. At the end of the book, Milton makes the point that if you want to know Chaplin as a filmmaker, watch his videos, they are readily available. I second that - rent or buy his videos, skip this book.

Probably no biography is without some value, but this is one of the two worst Chaplin books published. The comedian was hardly a perfect man, and there are things about him even a long-time fan might find bothersome, but much of this biography is trashy and filled with unsubstantiated ugly rumors. David Robinson's CHAPLIN: HIS LIFE AND ART, published twenty years ago, remains the best way to learn about Mr. Chaplin's complex life and work, while Glenn Mitchell's CHAPLIN ENCYCLOPEDIA I have found very helpful. This book is best ignored and forgotten.

due to a snafu with my computer, the first review i wrote for this book was lost. i could have just given up, but i am determined to implore those of you considering adding this book to your library to please resist! only because i had to choose a star rating did i give it a one star. i would have chosen 0 star if given the choice. though milton is obviously a talented writer and did much research for this project, she obviously has some kind of grudge against chaplin. true, he unfortunately left a great deal to exploit with the scandals, both personal and political. but what she so obviously neglected was his creative genius that earned him the title King of Comedy. she emphasizes rumors as facts and takes it upon herself to tell us what chaplin was more than likely feeling or thinking about any particular subject, when there is no way she could assume. for instance, in describing 'city lights,' a clear masterpiece, she completely distorts, in my opinion, the best movie ending EVER. that look on the tramp's face as he looks at the girl he loves - his face so full of love, fear, hopefulness - it is unbelievably touching and beautiful, but milton insists that he is using it to manipulate his audience - hopeful he still has their devotion and fearing his hold on them has passed. she portrays him to be an absolute monster. clearly, he couldn't have been the easiest person to live with, but it gives her no right to drag him through the mud as she did. i hate to think of the people out there just discovering the genius of charles chaplin - seeing her book and thinking it will be a good, truthful read. start with the david robinson book, or jeffrey vance - they are much more honest and fair. i keep my milton book only because i refuse to turn it over to a library or used book store to infect a future reader's mind.

While she does trod some new ground here, Joyce Milton's biography is recommended only for those who have already viewed the original movies, and read David Robinson's definitive biography, CHAPLIN, Charles Maland's CHAPLIN AND AMERICAN CULTURE, Walter Kerr's THE SILENT CLOWNS, and seen Brownlow and Gill's documentary, THE UNKNOWN CHAPLIN. Joyce's emphasis is on Chaplin's politics and relations with women. While these subjects are worthy of study, they are limiting in scope and do not provide a well-rounded portrait worthy of the artist and the man.

An unflinching look at Chaplin, the person. Often surprising, but never dull reading. In a word, very fair in the author's treatment of Chaplin. Highly recommend for those who want a more truthful history of the Little Fellow's life.

very biased & catty...she made him out as a monster, HATED this book, really

Having known next to nothing about Charlie Chaplin, I was not sure if I would enjoy this book at first; however, by the time I had finished the first chapter, I was hooked. It is more like a novel than a biography. It is well written and from time to time maks you laugh. The only draw back is the excessive excerpts from other works, which I ended up skipping.

Did I say trash?

Want to know Charlie? Read David Robinson's "Chaplin, his life and art" in conjunction with Chaplin's own "My Autobiography".

This one... TRASH!