Chaplin in the Sound Era: An Analysis of the Seven Talkies

by Eric L. Flom

Overview

Charles Chaplin's sound films have often been overlooked by historians, despite the fact that in these films the essential character of Chaplin more overtly asserted itself in his screen images than in his earlier silent work.

Each of Chaplin's seven sound films--City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936), The Great Dictator (1940), Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Limelight (1952), A King in New York (1957), and A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)--is covered in a chapter-length essay here. The comedian's inspiration for the film is given, along with a narrative that describes the film and offers details on behind-the-scenes activities. There is also a full discussion of the movie's themes and contemporary critical reaction to it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786440528
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/13/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

In addition to writing books about silent film, Eric L. Flom is a contributing editor to HistoryLink, an online encyclopedia of Washington state history, and has written film and theatre pieces for The Seattle Times, The Enterprise and Silent Era. A longtime resident of Seattle, Flom currently lives in Milton, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Preface     

1. Prologue     
The Boyhood     
The English Stage     
Those Moving Pictures     
Essanay and Mutual     
First National     
United Artists     
Chaplin’s Development as a Film Artist     

2. City Lights     
The Emergence of Sound Technology     
Conceiving City Lights     
The Narrative of City Lights     
The Resistance to Sound     
Continuing the Chaplin Tradition     
City Lights as Social Commentary     
Response to City Lights     

3. Modern Times     
His Trip Abroad     
Analysis of His Trip     
The Return     
The Narrative of Modern Times     
The Second Battle with Sound     
Socio-Political Aspects of Modern Times     
The Tramp and the Gamin     
Response to Modern Times     

4. The Great Dictator     
Napoleon, Scarlet and Hitler     
The Narrative of The Great Dictator     
The Great Satire     
The Barber and the Tramp     
The Great Dictator as Propaganda     
The Speech     
Response to The Great Dictator     

5. Monsieur Verdoux     
Joan Barry     
The Courts     
The Aftermath     
Landru     
The Narrative of Monsieur Verdoux     
Casting and Production     
Chaplin’s Darker Side     
Chaplin as the Real Henri Verdoux     
Promotion & Response to Monsieur Verdoux     


6. Limelight     
The Attempted Turnaround     
Footlights     
The Narrative of Limelight     
Life Through the Lens     
A Return to Older Themes     
Promotion & Response to Limelight     

7. A King in New York     
Closing the Door     
The Ex-King Comes Home to Europe     
The Narrative of A King in New York     
Satirizing the United States     
Response to A King in New York     

8. A Countess from Hong Kong     
The Books and Critical Reassessment     
The Return to Filmmaking     
The Narrative of A Countess from Hong Kong     
Shooting A Countess from Hong Kong     
The Failure     
Response to A Countess from Hong Kong     

9. Epilogue     
The Reconciliation     
The Limelight     

Notes     
Bibliography     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

the amount of factual detail is substantial...well-written”—Classic Images; “Flom’s book distinguishes itself by focusing on Chaplin’s sound films...engaging...in-depth analysis”—Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television.

From the Publisher

"Flom's book distinguishes itself by focusing on Chaplin's sound films...engaging...in-depth analysis"

Radio and Television Historical Journal of Film

the amount of factual detail is substantial...well-written

Classic Images