Limelight (1952) User Reviews

One of the best movies by Chaplin

[jluis1984 · 9/10 · 14 July 2006]

Charlie Chaplin was without a doubt one of the most important pioneers of film-making, and through his life he saw the development of the cinema and its progress. "Limelight" is probably not as well known as most of his silent feature, but it is a very important film to understand the vivacious mind of this genius. It is a very personal film that showcases Chaplin's feelings about his own brand of comedy and how it slowly lost the public's attention as he grew older.

"Limelight" is the story of an old comedian named Calvero (Chaplin), who one morning discovers that his young neighbor Thereza (Claire Bloom) attempted to commit suicide. He decides to take care of her and discovers that she is a dancer; knowing that both share a passion for performing he begins to cheer her up and prepares her to become a great dancer while at the same time he remembers his past glories.

When one watches "Limelight" is impossible not to see the many autobiographical aspects of the plot, as in many ways, Calvero represents how Chaplin feels at the modernization of comedy on stage. Like Chaplin, Calvero also played the character of an optimist tramp who always saw the good side of life, and like Chaplin, Calvero faced many times the urge to modernize his act. It's kind of frightening to think about how much of Calvero's story could be based on Chaplin's real experiences as it is a sharp criticism (for its time) to the way performers are treated by both their managers and their public.

As the last of his "talkies" made in America, "Limelight" is done with all the power Chaplin still had (although the film would be banned as Chaplin lost his power due to his political opinions) and it shows. The stage performances of the characters are sublime and in Calvero's memories Chaplin resurrects a way of comedy apparently dead by the early 50s and makes it fresh. The Keaton/Chaplin duo is a classic moment captured on film. However, "Limelight" is not a comedy in the strict sense of the word. Those expecting a laugh-riot like "Modern Times" or "The Great Dictator" will be disappointed, this is a very personal melodrama where Chaplin his emotions about his career.

The acting is very good, Chaplin may be more remembered for his parts in silent films, but he delivers his lines with ease and ability. His physical comedy is superb and his overall performance is memorable (mainly because it feels as if he was playing himself). Claire Bloom is at times a bit too melodramatic for the movie's sake, but for the most part is very effective and makes a good counterpart to Chaplin's Calvero. Among the supporting cast Nigel Bruce as always chews the scenery and Buster Keaton is simply fabulous in his small yet classic role.

Probably "Limelight"'s main problem is its excess of melodrama, and its at times, excessively preachy attitude. The fact that is not a comedy may turn off people not used to Chaplin's more serious side, as while the movie has its fair share of laughs, it is obvious that Chaplin wanted to be recognized as more than a mere clown. The movie's slow pace and rhythm also put it closer to the melodrama of the 40s than to the image we are all used to see when we think of Chaplin.

Despite all this, "Limelight" stands as a testament of Chaplin's enormous talent, and while not very well-known, it is one of the finest films he ever did. Fans of his work will definitely enjoy this film and fans of Keaton will appreciate his small yet terrific scene. 9/10

Chaplin's Best Talkie. 9/10

[zetes · 9/10 · 1 March 2001]

Charlie Chaplin is one of the undisputed masters of the cinema. He was one of the funniest actors of the cinema, and he was also one of the greatest directors. Of course, the films that he is most famous for are his silent comedies, especially The Gold Rush, City Lights, and Modern Times. The latter two were the product of Chaplin's stubborn clinging to the format and conventions of the silent cinema, though everyone else had gone to sound. This stubbornness was certainly sound. His contemporaries such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd lost popularity when they moved to sound. Chaplin's last two silent films were popular and made a lot of money. Audiences may have craved sound, but they craved Chaplin, too, and did not disdain his silence. He was one of the silent artists who thought that they were just achieving the peak of their medium when sound came in. He proved himself right, since City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) are probably his two best films, and both are two of the best films ever made.

Finally, in 1940, Chaplin directed and starred in his first talkie, The Great Dictator. Three more followed, Monsieur Verdoux, then Limelight, then King of New York, which happens to be the only one of these four I have not seen. The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux were both good films in their own way, but perhaps Chaplin's in depth political commentary in these films detracted from them. The type of comedy that you find in his silent films did not mix well with this social commentary. The simple juxtapositions of the worlds of the poor and the rich in City Lights and Modern Times were far more powerful than what his first two talkies had to offer.

Then came Limelight, one of the most bittersweet films ever made. It is not perfect, but it achieves a grand melodramatic beauty that few films have ever even approached. The story is simple: a washed-up, old vaudvillian rescues a young ballet dancer from suicide. He takes care of her until she is healthy again, and even restores her confidence. The story may be simple, but the character dynamics are very complex. As the dancer, Theresa, is recovering, Calvero is not only rebuilding her confidence, but also his own. Theresa, because of his kindness towards her, finally believes she has fallen in love with him, even going so far as proposing marriage to him. Whether she actually loves him or not, and Calvero strongly asserts that she shouldn't and doesn't, these two characters have a constantly evolving relationship that does not end until the credits role. It is utterly fascinating, captivating, and dramatic.

There are a couple of problems, and though they're small, they deserve attention. Perhaps the biggest problem is that Claire Bloom is quite guilty of overacting. Her line delivery is bizarre and overdramatic. This isn't a big deal, since you ought to be keenly aware that the film takes place in the world of melodrama, and is thus exaggerated. Another thing that irked me is Buster Keaton's role. It is little more than a cameo. In fact, his character doesn't even have a name in the credits. This is truly disappointing, seeing that he, although Chaplin may have had the most heart, was the all-around funniest silent comedian.

Chaplain's last song, offered "his way" without apology

[jungophile · 7/10 · 23 May 2015]

Most ordinary people fall into a role and a persona in their lives, and tend to not veer very far from it if it provides for them. Perhaps, due to extreme situations, they may find it necessary to reinvent themselves once or twice and rise to the occasion or fall into dissolution.

An artist like Chaplain had to reinvent himself over and over again over four decades, particularly in a medium that was changing every few years. That's probably why he had so many failed marriages with younger woman; he had to feel like a "player" to keep the flow going and fight back the doubt and anxiety (and the terror of becoming irrelevant) that inevitably begins to haunt creative men in their twilight years. Don't underestimate the power of sex magic!

Limelight is a film about those demons, and the immense courage (and yes, the love of a much younger woman, too, doesn't hurt), that is required to triumph over them. Still, everyone knows there is one specter that no man can outrun -- Death. Chaplain masks this existential dimension in layers of sentimental melodrama which you will have to decide for yourself is effective, but I think he does this intentionally to smuggle in some deep and darker themes that filmmakers like Bergman would become famous for continually exploring masterfully.

I found myself going back and forth with Limelight; there are times when the melodrama overpowers the film, and the pedestrian cinematography doesn't help matters. A few times I felt like I was watching the old Abbot and Costello TV show, particularly the apartment scenes. However, Chaplain is such an immense presence you can't help be engaged and encouraged to keep watching because you want so much for his character Calvero to triumph. His co-star, Claire Bloom, is quite effective, too, and she has several "looks" in this film to contrast and mirror the ongoing struggle the old comedian in having internally.

Getting on in years myself, and feeling washed up and without hope and purpose, Calvero's plight and faltering desire to once again command the Limelight was quite cathartic. I was amazed by his final performance with Keaton; when Calvero starts rocking that violin like Eddie Van Halen in his prime, I was in a state of sublime fascination. Here was a true artist giving everything up for his audience, feeling the peak thrill of having the audience at his command once again for a few fleeting moments; a thrill that, tragically, he will pay dearly for.

We can only hope that we, too, can earn such an exalted death as Calvero's. Perhaps that is Chaplain's hidden message in this film; that life is, in the final analysis, about striving for a death that ennobles those you leave behind.

A final reflective masterpiece

[hausrathman · 14 January 2004]

A washed-up, formerly-famous Music Hall comic, Charlie Chaplin, saves a suicidal ballerina, Claire Bloom. In the process of giving her the hope to move on and succeed, he regains the confidence to return to the stage himself.

"Limelight" is a moving and autobiographical film that works as both a bittersweet drama and a mirror into the soul of one of the world's greatest film makers. I sometimes wondered if my affection for this film is based on my knowledge of Chaplin's life and career, and the parallels between "Limelight" and people and incidents in his own life. When I watch this film I see an artist standing naked at a crossroads before his audience, unsure where to go and what to do. However, I know the film does not require an advanced degree in Chaplin to enjoy. My wife, who could probably do little more than identify the Tramp in a lineup before marrying me, loved this film before she met me. I have also had the good fortune to see the film in a theater in New York and watch it work its wonders on an audience. Stylistically, it might be dated, but the magic lingers.

"Limelight" is best viewed as a drama with comedy rather than a comedy with drama. Outwardly, it is the simple story of a vulnerable youth who mistakes her gratitude for love, and an older man wise enough to know the difference. But it's more than that too. It's about an artist's nature, and the addictive power of applause. The Chaplin character, Calvero, knows how to make people laugh, but feels he has lost the ability to do so. He realizes he is at the end of his career, but he still hungers for one final moment in the limelight. The film is talky and philosophical, and, yes, a little pompous and pretentious at times too. It's almost as if Chaplin is trying to impart through words the simple joys and mystery of life he was once able to express effortlessly through simple slapstick alone. Does this flood of words mean Chaplin has lost his skills as a film maker? No. He still has the power to move.

"Limelight" is Chaplin's final masterpiece. It is one of my favorites. I prefer to think of it as his last film. Should this be your first Chaplin film? No. Start with films like "The Gold Rush," "City Lights," and "The Great Dictator." Come to know the comedian before you get to know the man.

Drama, Comedy, Tragedy, Philosophy and Nostalgia

[tomtheactuary · 10/10 · 11 March 2004]

Chaplin could do anything as well or better than anyone else in movies: acting, writing, directing, composing, producing, editing, even choreographing. He was world renown as a comedian, yet has placed some of the most poignant images on film that ever were. He was, even more than the great Orson Welles, a sort of one man band.

He was as successful worldwide as anyone ever was in movies. Somehow in all this, he got the idea that he had something worthwhile to say about life and art. Which he did with this film.. and I for one am extremely grateful.

The subjects of alcoholism... depression... aging... the fickle relationships of audiences and performers... these are all covered in a film that manages to fit in philosophical dialog, pantomime, dancing, and music. The multiple showings of the same comedy sequence (in a dream, in front of an unappreciative audience, in front of a wildly appreciative audience) gets one to thinking about the lemming-like nature of people in a way that someone like Chaplin would have had almost unique insight into.

It may take a while to become accustomed to the odd pacing and cadence of a Chaplin movie; once you are, you find yourself in the middle of an artistic experience like no other.

The music in this film is unusually haunting and deserving of the Academy award it belatedly received. 10 out of 10.

Perfect. Brilliant. Tocuhing. Chaplin

[dg-op · 10/10 · 8 June 2009]

All the terrible facts in his life during the 1940s made Chaplin realize he was a lucky artist, having for almost 3 decades both critics recognition as well as worldwide fame. His personal problems originated by his marriage with young Oona, added to the hate generated in the United States from the brilliant, anti-capitalism movie "Monsieur Verdoux" left him in a very dramatic situation, that made him look back at the past, only to realize how the art he made better was changing... characters, themes, directors and actors were now different. His eternal black and white pantomime was at the moment "useless", and colored motion pictures were appearing...

"Limelight" is the bittersweet movie that narrates the impossible love story between Calvero, the fading comedian, and Terry, the suicidal Dancer. Perhaps his final masterpiece, Limelight earns recognition and admiration for its philosophical thoughts about life, love, and the mix of comedy and drama. Considered as his will to artists and his homage to his three loves: London, arts and women, the movie reflects Chaplin's worries about his audience, his marriage, society. Almost every aspect of Chaplin's life is represented in this motion picture. Just the tittle evokes his theatrical debut, in the late XIXth Century, Calvero is just a variation of Chaplin's eternal character, The Little Tramp, the story of Therry is the same as his mother (her sister also prostituted to make a living), and it goes on...

There will be no movie that'll make me laugh and cry as much as Limelight. I consider it as the last Chaplin film. Enjoy the gag between Chaplin and Buster Keaton, long-time rival in the silent-film era, and the marvelous original score composed by Chaplin himself.

Limelight is a perfect, brilliant, touching movie that'll make you know the person that hid 30 years under the Little Tramp character: a great artist and unique man called Charles Spencer Chaplin.

the more Chaplin I see, the more I admire his work

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 24 April 2006]

If I had seen this film a couple months ago, I doubt if I would have scored the film above a 7. I must admit that I was not a fan of his movies and generally felt he was a bit overrated. However, after having seen many of his full-length movies recently (CITY LIGHTS, MODERN TIMES, THE CIRCUS, THE GOLD RUSH and several others), I realize that I indeed had a strong prejudice that was not completely justified. While I still think his movies relied too heavily on pathos to try to pull the heart strings of the audience, his amazing talents as an actor, writer, director, producer AND composer are unparalleled--plus, in this film at least, the pathos was necessary for the plot.

The film is not a comedy, nor should anyone who reads this review begin watching it expect laughs. No, it's actually a very poignant drama that in some ways is quite philosophical. And, also in many ways the movie is like a combination of the films A STAR IS BORN and Chaplin's film THE CIRCUS.

Charlie is a down and out vaudeville performer who is way past his prime and drinks much too heavily. When returning home to his apartment, he finds that the downstairs neighbor (Claire Bloom) has turned on her gas and taken pills. Though drunk, he breaks open the door and gets help. When she is rescued from the brink of death, she has no place to go (since she can't live in the old apartment), so he reluctantly lets her stay. However, he soon grows very fond of her and she of him, though she has a lot of emotional baggage and believes she cannot walk (it's a hysterical illness caused by emotional problems).

Despite her practically being an invalid, he cares for her and he barely scratches out a living. Eventually, though, he pushes and pushes her--not out of cruelty but because she CAN physically walk and can't continue feeling sorry for herself. He's very upbeat and optimistic throughout this period, though, as she needs to have a reason to live. Eventually, she is able to walk and returns to her career as a stage dancer. At the same time, Chaplin's career continues to go from bad to worse. Now, she is much more optimistic and he is in a funk.

Claire gets her big break thanks to the coaching of Chaplin. And, in the show, there is a small part for him as well. She goes on to stardom and then announces she wants to marry the very significantly older Chaplin. He is aghast, as he feels this desire of hers is really due to her being grateful and fraternal love between them. But, she will not be dissuaded, so he disappears from the show and she is forced to continue without him. At first it's tough, but she becomes a major star.

A few years later, she returns to London and stumbles upon Chaplin. She continues to voice her desire to marry him, but he'll have none of it--especially since there is a nice young man on hand to marry her now (played by Chaplin's real-life son, Sidney). Despite this, she arranges a big comeback performance for Chaplin--as he WAS at one time a famous comedian. This comeback is part of a star-packed show and it's now Chaplin's chance to go out on top! The show goes on and in fact Chaplin is amazing. But, after putting his all into it, he has a heart attack and dies--thus freeing Claire to seek out a life for herself. Now THAT'S pathos! The total package, though a tiny bit slow and sentimental, worked for me. Chaplin's music, by the way, earned an Oscar when the movie was finally exhibited in the USA two decades later! A beautiful, sentimental and almost perfect film--a fitting end to a great career--too bad he went on to do two more lesser films in later years.

By the way, since writing this review, I have found that this film haunts me and I often think back about it and how touching the film was. While it isn't one of his more famous films, I think other than THE GOLD RUSH it is actually his best film--maybe not the funniest, but among the very best.

Ode to Chaplin, part nineteen

[jamesjustice-92 · 10/10 · 19 April 2022]

It's painful to watch your idol die but it's even more hurtful to see him getting old and losing everything you used to love about him and slowly falling lower and lower in your eyes, fading away. But this is not the case with Charles Chaplin because his genius was always on the rise.

"Limelight" tells the story of Calvero, a vaudeville performer and a comedian struggling to find work long after his glory days were over. He has lost hope and drowns himself in alcohol but one day he meets a young girl who has lost hope too. Sometimes destiny brings people into our lives at just the right time to show us how much are our lives worth and lead us to the right path.

Although Charles himself denied all of the similarities with his persona but while watching you just can't help feeling how much Calvero and Chaplin are alike. "Limelight" is a great satire on the world of show business and how fleeing is the fame - no wonder the movie in a way predicted Charles' own fate. It was a financial failure in the United States and soon after the premiere Chaplin left the country; only 20 years later, in 1972, he was awarded with an Oscar for this movie and regained his legendary status he deserved way back then but was not able to obtain because of narrow-mindedness of some people.

"Limelight" was the debut for young actors Claire Bloom and Sydney Chaplin (Charles' second son) and featured Buster Keaton in his only on-screen performance with Chaplin which was one of many highlights of this movie. Charles expresses his wisdom through Calvero who speaks it, assuring us of one beautiful little thing called life: that it is a wonder by its nature and wonders aren't supposed to go down the drain easily. We should fight for it, feel it, live every minute of it, enjoy it, use it any way we want to accomplish anything we want and it's never too late to realize that our lives, even in their most unpleasant moments, are worth living for. As they say, all the world's a stage and we ought to play on it until the end.

sentimental show biz drama

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 30 December 2022]

Charles Chaplin stars as Calvero, an alcoholic, washed-up music hall comedian who saves a rooming house neighbor from committing suicide when he passes by her door and smells gas. The neighbor, young ballet dancer Thereza (Claire Bloom), attempted suicide because she believes that she will never walk and therefore never dance again. She stays with Calvero while she recuperates, and the old comic starts to improve himself as he sets out to get Thereza the chance to prove herself as a world-class dancer. Thereza wants to marry Calvero in spite of their large age difference (I won't go into how art is imitating life here), but he feels that a young composer (Sydney Earl Chaplin) would be a better match. Complications ensue.

Chaplin's last starring role came in this bittersweet drama, a massive hit everywhere else in the world, but barely released in the U. S. due to Chaplin being labeled a "dangerous leftist". I had the same opinion of this that I did with many of his silent movies: it's technically proficient, but the sentimentality is a bit too thick, and it often seems blatantly phony, and not earned by what has been shown on screen. I've grown to like many of Chaplin's films on repeat viewings, and even love a couple of them, but I've always preferred the work of Buster Keaton. It was nice seeing the two on screen together, but it wasn't for long enough. The movie eventually received an Oscar-qualifying premiere in L. A. twenty years later, and thus bizarrely won the 1972 Oscar for Best Score (Charles Chaplin, Ray Rasch, and Larry Russell).

One of the Most Melancholic Films I Have Ever Seen

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 30 March 2012]

In 1914, in London, the former successful and presently decadent and alcoholic clown Calvero (Charles Chaplin) smells gas in the building where he lives and breaks in an apartment. He finds the suicidal Thereza 'Terry' Ambrose (Claire Bloom) laying down on her bed and he brings a doctor that saves her. They do not report to the police and Calvero nurses her in his apartment.

He leans that Terry was a ballet dancer that had a problem in her legs that are paralyzed. However, the doctor tells to Calvero that she has not a physical, but actually a psychological problem with her legs. He emotionally supports her and she recovers her health and becomes a successful ballerina. Meanwhile Calvero is also affected by Terry and quits drinking. Calvero tries to rebuild his career in the show business and while Terry falls in love with him but age must pass as youth enters.

"Limelight" is one of the most melancholic films that I have ever seen. I saw this movie for the first time when I was very young but watching "Limelight" older and older, I realized how depressive this tragic story is. The haunting music score was awarded with the Oscar of Best Music, Original Dramatic Score. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Luzes da Ribalta" ("Limelight")

The curious twilight of a comedian long since abdicated.

[HenryHextonEsq · 7/10 · 2 April 2003]

Even for a fellow well-versed in Chaplin's sound films, 'Limelight' proved an odd viewing experience upon my perusal of it.

Following on from 'The Great Dictator' and 'Monsieur Verdoux', Chaplin eschews his physical comedy for the most part, preferring to address 'big themes' and important issues. 'The Great Dictator', quite obviously tackles fascism and the demagoguery of a dictator: indeed pretty pertinent in 1940. 'Verdoux' is an interesting one-off in its inherent darkness; the material, concerning a mannered serial killer, is treated with more sobriety and a blacker touch than had hence been the case with Chaplin's films. There is a startling effectiveness to the last reels of that film, with Chaplin's theme of society forming the individual's behaviour being emphatically and eerily conveyed by his well-spoken character. 'Limelight' focuses on the gold mine that is Chaplin's career and the decline of his sort of comedy. It should be got out of the way first, that considering the possibilities this stirs in the mind, the result will likely disappoint. But that does not affect my view that this is a very interesting film and broadly a successful entertainment. It could be argued that 'The Great Dictator' is a finer insight into Chaplin's art; the masterful pantomime is more vividly on show, and is Hitler is not especially the evil figure we know him to be, but more the manipulative, balletic Chaplin, commanding our attention.

'Limelight' seems not to succeed in being a summation of Chaplin's career; perhaps as it distinctly lacks the raison d'être of his visual comedy. Okay, perhaps Calvero is a character based partly on other faded stars from the music hall tradition, but we are not convinced that this is quite the same Chaplin. Of course, this is bound to be the case: this is sound cinema, nearly twenty years after the tramp's final sunset-bound trot. But, here Chaplin's character talks incessantly and unrepentantly: quite the conversion for the silent clown. Unlike Laurel and Hardy, the adjustment to sound was never made in his original screen persona, so this truly will seem a different Chaplin to viewers. He pontificates in a somewhat lofty, generally admirable fashion; but it is the speech of a mannered, delicate, sentimental old English gentleman, and not a clown or philosopher. There are times his dialogue wades in some very interesting waters - such as that regarding his views on audiences and the rigors of performance - but often, too little of worth is said with too many words, in an overweening, self-satisfied manner.

Where the film really succeeds is in the way Chaplin does take on a sort of tragic grandeur towards the close - or more rightly a rather sad grace; a man out of time and out of sympathy with most the world has to offer. It seems he was lucky to obtain the services of Claire Bloom to play the ballerina, Tereza, as she invests a crucial part with genuine feeling and warm brittleness - a good contrast with Chaplin's slightly wearing charm and ghostly drifting through the film. His contribution in bringing Bloom to the screen is to be appreciated, as she went on to a most impressive career in many mediums. Indeed, Bloom is rather histrionic at times, but at least it adds some genuine zest to proceedings. That she carries off this role, that from the evidence we see, is so unlikely – a young girl completely in the thrall of a curiously cold and verbose old man – is a testament to her skill. She really conveys more of Chaplin's appeal than is perhaps warranted by what occurs in the film.

Touches like the visual flashbacks of Neville and Tereza's unspoken romance during her voice-over, narrating the story, really help the film. As do the inclusion of performance sequences early on, which are revealed to be in Calvero's subconscious. The second of those rather amused me, seeming atypically Chaplin in its bantering wordplay and slightly otherworldly air. The performing fleas routine is hardly vintage Chaplin (but pray remember, Calvero is a purely music hall performer, of pre-WW1 days) in its invention, but it is very precisely performed. I loved the little bits implying a wider tapestry: the drunken musical recitations by Calvero and a few friends in his flat, the reminiscing in a bar. It may not be a picture focused on the details of London life in the era, but tantalizing glimpses are given.

It is charming to see faces of old Hollywood, albeit briefly in this picture, that is so dominated by Chaplin's self-regard. Nigel Bruce is a splendid presence as – you've guessed it – a doddering, hapless old buffer with heart certainly in the desired place and dander constantly up. Buster Keaton adds some much needed comedic timing and experience to the film with his late appearance, performing with Chaplin in a decent final routine. He really outshines Chaplin, and it is a shame more isn't seen of his droll presence, far more tangible and concrete than the curiously elusive Chaplin is here.

Whatever one's thoughts on the film's comedy, it must be recognized that this is more of a winsome, self-absorbed melodrama than it is anything like a comedy. That it works is surely down to the strange historical interest of the film and its undeniable melancholic resonance. This is a Chaplin at the end of his tether, seemingly unwilling or unable to go back to being a comedian. The film is sad, invested with a grand decay and propped up by perhaps a more ‘real' Chaplin than was ever seen in his days of silence. It simply should not work – it is a portrait over-egged to some degree - but this is somehow remarkably compelling stuff. The picture all the more mourns what isn't there.

Rating: - *** ½/*****

Perhaps Chaplin's most personal film, but it is also his most reflective and one of his most touching

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 14 August 2010]

I have very little to fault Limelight. Is it Charlie Chaplin's best movie? Probably not, but it is very beautiful as a film. While The Kid gets my vote as Chaplin's most touching film, Limelight is every bit its equal in poignancy.

Limelight is exquisitely filmed, with the cinematography especially truly beautiful. The music is also gorgeous, the dialogue is beautifully written and the story is wonderful and is one of the main reasons why the film is as touching as it is. The acting is great, Claire Bloom I agree occasionally overdoes it but she is mostly very solid as the young dancer, while Chaplin handles the physical comedy faultlessly and manages the subtleties just as effectively. Nigel Bruce is terrific, and Buster Keaton is great in his small role. Seeing as five of his children featured here, Limelight is seemingly very personal for Chaplin and he puts a lot into this film and it shows.

Overall, beautiful and reflective. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is a great movie? Huh?

[fred-houpt · 6/10 · 27 October 2006]

First off, I am a huge fan of Chaplin. At least that of the silent movie idiom. I just bought and watched (for the first time) "Limelight" and it is the first Chaplin talkie I have watched. So, I have nothing to compare it to. Frankly I was astonished at how maudlin and depressing the overall feeling is throughout. The theme of the film could have developed into a powerful drama but in my eyes sunk into self-indulgent and a surprisingly poor story. Let's take Chaplin himself. He was well known for his ability to play a "drunk" and did so many times in films, hearkening back to his pre-film days in England. His drunken state in the film is always the same without drawing out much more than a cardboard rendition of a drunken state. His wobbling about never has anything humorous about it. If it was meant to appear dramatic or tragic than it did not even come close to suggesting this. I was left wondering, always wondering, where is he going with this? For me it went plodding along to nothingness.

Let's examine Claire Bloom. In far too many scenes her acting is overwrought and over the top. I ended up wondering if she was creating a parody of a tragic heroine? The early romance with the composer that she was unable to fulfill re-appears later in the film, all of it manipulated over and over again by an ambivalent Chaplin who does not quite believe what he's doing with his machinations. Chaplin's character seems to be so washed up that the only time he comes to life is when he's saving someone else's. Claire Bloom is a fine actor but the script and the direction turn her into a rag doll that is pushed around the screen by Chaplin.

There are some strengths in the film and it's a shame Chaplin didn't develop them further. The odd choice of Bloom's character falling in love with a man who could be her grandfather is not given enough twist or edge. Perhaps that would have been asking just a wee bit too much of an early 50's audience to stomach? Still, the platonic love she offers is spurned by Chaplin but at the first opportunity, six months later, she is right back where she started from, fully in love with Chaplin. Even though she says she's grown older and maybe wiser, her actions defy her words. There is a very shocking scene which jolted me and that is where just before Bloom is to dance before a huge crowd she cries to Chaplin that she's lost the feelings in her feet and legs and can't go on. He shouts at her and then when this is not good enough he slaps her on the face so hard he could have snapped her neck. The smacking sound in the movie is very pronounced and the effect on the viewer is very powerful. In keeping with the over the top elements of the drama, she goes on to dance her heart out and bring the house down. It's just way too exaggerated and unbelievable.

Keaton: I've read that some people think that Chaplin brought Keaton into this film as a gesture, albeit a very token one, to an old colleague from the good old days. Keaton is not introduced, we don't know why he's there (unless I missed something) and yet there he is at Chaplin's very important benefit concert. This scene leads me into another weakness in the film. The skit that Chaplin first puts on at the benefit is a repeat of what we've seen him do at least 2 or 3 times earlier in the film and it's a very bad version of a badly talented second rate hack from Vaudeville-type shows. Why he created this characterization was lost on me the first time but after 3 times I was more than a little perturbed. Was Chaplin insisting we believe that his character never had any talent in the first place? That would be contradictory to earlier information we are told about Calvero.

So, we put up with Chaplin's terrible rendition and then Keaton joins him on the stage during the encore. At last the sparks begin to fly. Finally we have the two undisputed masters putting on a delicious sequence of slapstick. And I laughed out loud for the first time in the entire film. Keaton is hilarious and Chaplin is wonderful. These old guys never lost a single bit of their timing. What is so clear in this sequence is that what is funny (at least in this film) is two guys acting as if they were in a silent picture! They don't say anything but we are in stitches, just like we all were when we watched their many silent films.

The movie comes to an over-the-top end just a few minutes later. I sat there with my mouth open wondering what on earth Chaplin was thinking? He could have made us cry but the drama in the film was overt, exaggerated, bathos in full, pathetic only in it's underdevelopment. This was a man who created the most memorable characters in silent movies; he knew how to write and to direct and for me this film was stillborn from the getgo. If he was in the mood for self-indulgent sighing about his past, like almost all late Jerry Lewis comedy, then he did it very badly. Honestly, I was astonished at how bad this film was and I do not know why others rave about it. I am still a fan but this film left me confused and dumbfounded.

Chaplin's love letter to himself

[MissSimonetta · 5/10 · 18 April 2019]

I love Charlie Chaplin's work and style, but this movie is just so self-indulgent that it ceases to be anything like art. I have no clue what these critics are talking about when they claim this is some grand statement on art, death, and youth. It's more like a monument to Chaplin's ego, with Calvero as his self-insert protagonist. The scenes where Claire Bloom's character praises him for being "funny," "sensitive," and "more than a comedian" just feel like such self-congratulatory pandering.

The story has no structure to speak of, plodding along and giving us ample time to be lectured by Chaplin on consciousness and life. The comedic scenes are dismal and unfunny. The dramatic scenes flop. The supporting actors don't really get to establish their characters well, because Chaplin is pretty much convinced that this is going to be the Calvero hour. No other character need be developed when HE is supposed to be the whole show.

I wanted to love this movie. I really did. No one blends comedy, humanism, and tragedy quite like Chaplin, and when he gets it right (which he does most of the time), you get pure cinematic magic. But this is just a mess.

An unpopular opinion, yes, but for now, I'm holding to it.

The Spotlight Unfortunately Cannot Shine Forever.

[tfrizzell · 7 November 2003]

Haunting and unforgettable piece from Charles Chaplin that was nearly lost in the American cinema all together. It played in very few cities within the U.S. in 1952 and was never shown in Los Angeles due to the suspicion that the House of Un-American Acts Committee had concerning Chaplin (making no sense to me as Chaplin, who was British, was the polar opposite of a Communist from all indications). The film disappeared from U.S. soil and did not re-surface until some 20 years later in 1972 and Chaplin actually won an Oscar, with fellow scorers Raymond Rasch and Larry Russell, for this movie's original dramatic score (this was the only competitive Oscar Chaplin ever won). Chaplin stars as a washed-up vaudeville performer. He is now an elderly man (in his 60s when the film was made) and the spotlight is gone forever, even though he still secretly yearns for it. Chaplin discovers a very young ballet dancer (Claire Bloom) who has attempted suicide because she cannot handle being a performer. Naturally Chaplin cannot believe that this young, beautiful and talented woman would rather take her life than be a ballet performer (the fact that Chaplin yearns for her youth and the ability to be an entertainer again makes him bound and determined to get her back on her feet). He tries with all his might to get her performance-ready again, all the while he is also trying to resurrect the career that he lost long ago. Chaplin has a dream of a stunning performance he has on the stage, but when his act ends there is no one there to acknowledge him (one of, if not the saddest sequences I have ever seen on film). Soon it becomes obvious that Chaplin's time is running out and his desperation to have that one last piece of action engulfs his mind, body, heart and soul. "Limelight" is one of the most dramatic and intense pictures I have ever encountered. Chaplin's life and career had changed dramatically by 1952. The Little Tramp was no more, all movies had sound, some films were being made in color and the subject matter of motion pictures was slowly starting to change. In many ways Chaplin was trying to show the viewing public his life in celluloid form and "Limelight" would be the vehicle used. This is a stunning work that once again shows the humanity and overall sensitivity that Chaplin had with his movies. Chaplin's long-time rival in real-life (Buster Keaton) even shows up late and acts as a partner in the duo's stage routine. The pairing is usually the most memorable part of this production to most, but the story and the deep emotional part that Chaplin plays are the things that make "Limelight" quite possibly Chaplin's greatest cinematic masterpiece. 5 stars out of 5.

With it or without it

[sno-smari-m · 9/10 · 10 March 2009]

It is well known that this film was Chaplin's final bow in America, and in one way it could be said to be his final bow for England as well; that is, of course, the England which the comedian once knew. He'd left the country for money and fortune, and this is the end of it which never was. No, no, I'm not saying this was what Chaplin wanted to say with the film, because I don't think it is. But it's hard to not think in such terms when presented to Calvero, the sad, reflected, cheerful and extremely talented clown; the latter is particularly evident after he's had a drink. The clown is now washed-up and can't get work anywhere. Then one day he saves a young ballerina from committing suicide, and as he helps her along, eventually he comes to experience one final triumph in the limelight himself. Chaplin captures me completely in his obviously heartfelt role as Calvero, and the rest of the cast is excellent, including Claire Bloom as "Terry," Chaplin's son Sydney as the young musician, Stapleton Kent's somewhat humorous portrayal of manager Claudius, and of course, The Other Biggest Big of The Silent Clowns, Buster Keaton; a special mention goes to Marjorie Bennett as Mrs. Alsop.

Not only did Chaplin as always write and direct this film, he also composed the beautiful ballet to which Claire Bloom dances hypnotizingly. I am not much into ballet, but can't help the effect this one has on me, just as with the entire film. As Chaplin would say, "words seem so futile," and indeed they do as I try to cover what it is which makes me re-visit this film over and over, always wanting it to last longer. When I was in a very desperate stage of my hitherto brief life (20 next autumn), Calvero's speech to paralyzed Terry truly saved me. Most of us do insane things to reach happiness, and even insaner things when we fail in our attempts. Calvero should be here to tell us to quit it, and go on. After all, as long as we're conscious, we can still be in hysterics of laughter at Chaplin's act with Buster Keaton towards the end of this film.

Swedish critic and poet Lars Forssell has remarked that Chaplin with LIMELIGHT says little which he had not already expressed to greater effect in pantomime. I admire the work of Forssell, but think that he here overlooks a radical point; in fact, perhaps the major theme of the story. If we are to sum up the main elements provided in this film, we do indeed have a pretty typical Chaplin-film; a clown falls in love with a girl who in some way is superior to him, this time in the sense that she's got most of her future ahead, while he's old and ill. However, in previous films, Chaplin had been a clown with the mannerisms of a gentleman, always eager to explore further despite life's many defeats. Being a clown on the surface, the Tramp was playful, childish and acted pretty much by instinct. In this respect, Calvero represents his very counterpoint; he is not a fantasy figure able to survive anything as soon as he does a twist with his ankle, but a very real human being who has gained wisdom from the ups and, for the most part it seems, downs of life. We need to do nothing more complicated than viewing CITY LIGHTS as a contrast; whereas the Tramp had helped the blind by pretending to be someone else, Calvero accepted the world as it went, fighting back when he could, but admitting to be "an old sinner." For his entire career, Chaplin had played a clown, and this is his turn to wipe out the make-up and speak to us from underneath. If you think it gets too chatty, that's your problem. A clown is supposed to do pantomime on the stage. Here he's left it.

However, what is particularly fascinating with LIMELIGHT is that it not only speaks for Chaplin, but for the entire music hall-era in which the comedian laid the roots of his art; it is a work based upon a phenomenal life of first-hand experience, hence it does not feel more pretentious or self-centered than it should do. Calvero is the eternal sad clown, whose philosophy is carried through every performer who went the same way as him. (He does in fact bear characteristics of Chaplin's real-life father, who was once a top-bill performer on the stage himself, but eventually drank himself to death while Charlie was a boy.) Although at heart a tragedy, LIMELIGHT is, to me at least, one of the most uplifting films to watch when the clouds of life spread too much of shadow around; I can't say for sure if I'd have felt the same way if I was at Calvero's age, but I really believe there is some hope to be found for whoever needs it in this film. After all, Calvero finally made it, didn't he, even without happiness?

Chaplin's best movie!

[i_am_bernie_g · 10/10 · 16 April 2005]

This past week, I've been on a Charlie Chaplin kick. I watched "Great Dictator"(which is marvelous) and "Modern Times"(Also a classic). This morning, I watched "Limelight". I knew that it was not going to be a ha ha laugh riot all the way through, but I found myself chuckling several times in the movie. This movie has an excellent storyline about an aging performer who knows he is not marketable anymore but wants one more chance to shine. He meets a ballet dancer, played wonderfully by Claire Bloom, who almost commits suicide before beings rescued by Chaplin's Calvero character. Throughout the 2 1/2 hours, they teach other to fight their demons and do what they love doing. This movie was so moving to me. I ended up crying the majority of the movie. This shows that Chaplin is a genius. You can watch his movies and laugh, cry, think. But at the same time, it's just genius work. Sadly, this was Chaplin's last film success in America. What a shame. Great talent. The Chaplin/Keaton sequence is the highlight of the whole movie. 2 great comedy geniuses working for one time only. Perfect. 10 out of 10. Go see "Limelight" and see for yourself.

The Limelight is a Cruel Lover

[wes-connors · 8/10 · 3 September 2007]

Charlie Chaplin moves into the 1950s with an unusual drama about an alcoholic old timer (Chaplin as Calvero) and suicidal young ballerina (Claire Bloom as Terry). The comedian "Calvero" is drunk as the film opens, and obviously in the twilight of his career. He rescues Ms. Bloom from a suicide attempt and helps her to get back on her feet (so to speak).

The film seems almost like nothing, but becomes quite substantial. It's a very thoughtful film -- obviously, Chaplin in his 60s has lost none of his film-making skills: the difference is that you come to Chaplin on His terms. No longer interested (capable?) of producing massive audience "hits", Chaplin produces an indulgent, sentimental "Limelight". It's an excellent work, but very hard to digest.

Some impressions: Comedy is ballet. Life is ballet. Young needs old. Old needs young. Comics need a drug. Perhaps the film needs a single focus? I found the sequences where Chaplin is told by the "suits" he's washed-up to be most memorable; along with the small scene where a comic goes in for Chaplin's job because he's heard the old clown is awful. The stuff with Buster Keaton is very nice, too, and makes you wish the would have done a full film together. I believe Keaton's role makes the film deliberately less autobiographical than many would believe, but you can never be sure…

Chaplin is interesting to watch always; when he seems to be doing nothing, he's not.

******** Limelight (1952) Charles Chaplin ~ Charlie Chaplin, Claire Bloom, Buster Keaton

"Time is the best author. It always writes the perfect ending."

[ackstasis · 9/10 · 29 July 2007]

Even into the early 1950s, Charles Chaplin had never truly recovered from the cinematic conversion from silents to talkies, which took place in the late 1920s. As late as 1936, Chaplin continued to produce his trademark silent slapstick comedies, with great critical and commercial success. Even his much-lauded 1940 effort, 'The Great Dictator,' alternated between dialogue (mainly to satirise Adolf Hitler's manner of speech, and to deliver the Jewish barber's rousing final speech) and silent slapstick, the latter very much reminiscent of the Little Tramp. By 1947, with 'Monsieur Verdoux,' Chaplin had finally adapted to the times, but there's no doubt that he still believed the silent to be the purest form of film-making. 'Limelight' is Chaplin's almost-autobiographical reflection on a once-great artist who has fallen from grace, but who wishes to hear the passionate applause of an audience just one last time.

Unlike his previous films, most of which found a delicate balance between pathos and humour, 'Limelight' pretty much disregards any major notions of slapstick comedy and focuses primarily on sentimentalism. With perhaps the exception of Frank Capra, Chaplin was the finest in Hollywood when it came to such things, and it's impossible not to feel for his Calvero, the aging comedy stage performer who is over-the-hill and struggling to adapt to changing times. Having descended into crippling bouts of alcoholism (he regularly claims that he needs to have alcohol in him to be funny on-stage), Calvero's life and career is slowly withering away, and his name – despite being well-known and revered back in his day – is now considered poison to organisers. The character is relatively autobiographical, offering an insight into the feelings and personalities of Chaplin, who was, just like Calvero, beginning to lose many of his once-devoted fans (in part, due to his attitudes toward World War II and America-Russia relations, which led to his being labeled a Communist sympathiser). These parallels were quite obviously intentional, with faded posters in Calvero's apartment declaring him to be the "tramp comedian," and the character remarking at one point that he enjoys street performances, perhaps because of "the tramp within me."

When he rescues a depressed ballet dancer, Terry (Claire Bloom), from committing suicide, Calvero convinces her that life truly is worth living, inspiring himself in the process. While Terry eventually achieves great success as a dancer, Calvero determines himself to captivate the audience once more, though his comedy routines often end disastrously, and he is simply unable to capture the magic of a passed era. This time, as the aging performer sinks into bouts of heavy drinking, it is up to Terry to return the favour to the man who saved her life, and she ultimately falls in love with Calvero, despite a massive age difference (this particular scenario, once again, mirrors one of Chaplin's own relationships, his (fourth) marriage to Oona O'Neill, 37-years his junior). Calvero's final performance is before a packed-house, accompanied by an old partner (played by fellow silent comedy genius, Buster Keaton, in their first and only appearance on screen together), and the pair finally receive the enthusiastic reception that they had waited so long to experience just once more.

There is something very bittersweet about Calvero's stage performances. They are so sweetly innocent that you can understand why an advancing society has shunned them in favour of more sophisticated entertainment, but they genuinely exhibit the performer's passion and enthusiasm. Most of them are played out before a completely silent audience, giving them an almost dream-like feel (indeed, several of the performances are played out as dreams), allowing us to focus entirely on the actual comedy routines, and also keeping us in suspense as to how the audience will actually react to what they are seeing. A very memorable routine has Calvero as a flea-trainer, an idea he recycled from an unfinished 1919 short, 'The Professor.' Buster Keaton's influence is really quite minimal – Chaplin naturally gets most of the good gags – but they work together so wonderfully that you wonder why they had never previously collaborated on any film projects. Chaplin's slow, mournful, sentimental score (also by Ray Rasch and Larry Russell) won him his only competitive Oscar, though it didn't come until 1973, one year after 'Limelight' finally made its Los Angeles debut.

Bye Charlie

[x_manicure_x · 7/10 · 14 August 2021]

"Limelight" is not Charlie Chaplin's last film, but definitely the one that served as his farewell. It's a bittersweet, tremendously old-fashioned film that could have been as well a piece of theatre, but that despite his obvious flaws and schmaltzy philosophy deserves a place in every film lover's library, especially if considered in relation with Charlie Chaplin's persona.

Faded comedian Calvero seems to be inspired by Chaplin's father, an artist who also lost his audience due to alcohol abuse. It's not a coincidence that the Edwardian London setting corresponds with the places and theatres Chaplin used to hang out in his childhood. Calvero also shares more than one thing in common with 63 years old Chaplin, ostracized by Hollywood for his political views and left behind by his audience as his humor had become outmoded.

Calvero is a self-destructive man who had hit rock bottom countless times; however, he is the one to inspire optimism for the future to the young generation, represented by the hopeless and suicidal ballerina Terry. The relationship between the two seems to mirror Chaplin's taste for much younger women, but as the film goes on, he seems to be self-aware that it's time to hand over the rein to the next generation of men and artists (Neville).

Honestly, I would have loved a more realistic ending, as Calvero's sudden triumphant return felt a bit unnatural, but I guess that a truly tragic outcome would not serve the film's philosophy. There is also a narcissistic tendency to glorify Chaplin's persona and art life that personally made him feel even more distant. His routines drag on for too long, and don't serve the plot much if not to show that Calvero is, in fact, not that funny anymore.

All in all, "Limelight" is still a classic worth watching, but I am not sure I would have appreciated it as much if it was directed and performed by another comedian. Still impressive how he always manages to direct, write, perform, and score everything by himself.

Quite Profound for a clown

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 16 April 2013]

After almost half a century in the USA for whom among other things he sold war bonds in two World Wars, Charlie Chaplin got his walking papers from our government. And maybe the unkindest cut of all was that he got them as Limelight was premiering.

Chaplin had retired his little tramp character after Modern Times and he conceded that sound was here to stay. But the tramp kind of made a comeback in this film. As for Chaplin this film is about the old age of a performer who knows nothing else and a last touch of romance in his senior years.

Making her debut in Limelight is Claire Bloom and she plays a fragile young thing with hopes of being a prima ballerina who tries to take her own life with gas. Charlie who also rents a room in the same boardinghouse saves her and the two begin a relationship of sorts. He's a once famous comedian who has seen his best days as public tastes change and takes solace in alcohol as the fuel to keep him going. But she provides him a reason to live other than to drown his sorrows and Chaplin provides Bloom with hope and tenderness.

Charlie who took a great deal of this story from A Star Is Born works some real wonders here. One thing about Chaplin films, they were his personal projects even more than Orson Welles. He wrote, produced, directed, did the music and starred in Limelight and unlike Welles never had to worry about who would release his films, he was a founding partner of United Artists. I was going to make a crack that he didn't do the choreography and then read as the film concluded he did have a hand in it. Was there no limit to this man's talents?

Limelight is most famous for Charlie doing a once in a life time duo act with his silent comic rival Buster Keaton. The two do a very funny routine with a violin and piano. Chaplin worked on his projects only, Keaton however was starting to come back if not as a headliner, as a reliable character player in a lot of films that were way beneath what he had been before.

The performance pieces were nice, but the real key to Limelight is Chaplin expressing his opinions on love and life and how precious both are. The only time I heard it expressed as well is by Burt Lancaster in Birdman Of Alcatraz. It's all quite profound for a clown.

Too much talking!

[theowinthrop · 7/10 · 6 May 2007]

After reaching a peak among his sound films with MONSIEUR VERDOUX, Chaplin was to wait five years before releasing his last half-way decent feature film, LIMELIGHT. They were increasingly difficult years for Chaplin, as he and the U.S. government grew increasingly distant and strained in their relationship because of his outspoken liberal and left wing opinions and the government's slide into the McCarthy period. It would end shortly after the release of LIMELIGHT with Chaplin going to Europe on a vacation with his wife and family, and finding that the U.S. government pulled his passport so he could not return (technically, Chaplin had never applied for citizenship here, and was still an English citizen, so the government could do this). A bitter Chaplin moved to Switzerland, and resided there for the rest of his life (which was for another quarter century).

While not flawless, VERDOUX was one of the great black comedies, and it's point about the evils of modern society were actually quite solid. It's preceding talkie (Chaplin made only five real talkies, and included a brief talking scene in MODERN TIMES) had been THE GREAT DICTATOR, which too had flaws, but skewered Hitler's Nazi regime, and Mussolini's posturing, delightfully. But LIMELIGHT was a lesser work. I have given it a 7 out of 10 for those parts that are meant for pure entertainment - the music hall turns of Calvaro, such as the flea circus act (an idea Chaplin had been thinking about since 1919's THE PROFESSOR), his final sequence with Buster Keaton (a joint triumph), and his musical score (especially the memorable "Theme from LIMELIGHT"). Those are all worth watching and hearing.

What is not worth watching is Chaplin's windy philosophizing about life and love. Somehow the criticism of society or the Nazis had been done with greater delicacy and accuracy in the two earlier talkies. But here Chaplin's dealing with the romance between old Calvaro and young Terry (Claire Bloom) seems over-expressed to the point of total awkwardness.

Basically, Calvaro saves Terry, a girl just on the beginning of life, and nurses her back to health and to the proper start of her career as a dancer. She, in turn, tries to help restore the now poverty stricken man to his position as England's greatest music hall clown. There are moments (due to the acting abilities of the two stars) when their affection and mutual admiration comes through very nicely. But then Charlie talks!

Years earlier Paulette Goddard made a comment about her former husband and friend which many critics have since latched onto: "There is one problem with Charlie. He thinks he thinks!" Like Charles Foster Kane Chaplin had hundreds of opinions on every subject under the sun (including those political ones that finally blew up in his face). But most of his opinions were hot air. He didn't realize this. So when he starts giving Terry a pep talk about why life is worth living (comparing us with jelly fish), one can only think that if one was living with this windy old fool one would like to take some artificial method to shorten one's existence and end the torture.

He doesn't have to over-talk that way either - he can make one cringe when complementing Terry at her first big dance solo in a pantomime that he is involved in. The soulful way he tells her (ironically the line is quite brief) how beautifully she did it is so overdone as to make one wish Eric Campbell were still around to throttle him.

There are other production flaws. One that always got to me showed Chaplin, the producer watching costs to the penny, having Norman Lloyd (as the stage director) explaining the pantomime to the dancers before they start rehearsing it. When he begins the camera properly shows the cast (it includes Chaplin's ill fated oldest son and namesake, Charles Jr., who later committed suicide) on the stage listening intently. Then Chaplin has the camera concentrate on Lloyd's face while he addresses the cast, his back to the large, empty audience section of the theater. Fine - except we can see Lloyd's shadow on the back wall of that large empty audience section. We suddenly realize it is a backdrop (and not a really good one) and must be the size of a medium size oil painting! Chaplin, of course, would not have considered hiring an actual theater for the filming of the scene as it would have been more expensive.

Perhaps these comments seem too harsh. Enough of the film is entertaining to merit recommending it - at least as the last Chaplin film worth watching. Also as the last film with Nigel Bruce, as a theatrical producer. However, if my comments seem too harsh, I will say that the final tableau of Terry dancing to great acclaim on stage at the tribute to Calvaro, as he lies dying surrounded by the others, is quite a memorable conclusion - one of the best in any of Chaplin's films.

Indulgent, sentimental, but very uplifting

[gezmar · 8/10 · 20 July 2005]

Chaplin plays Calvero, the washed up music hall clown, who saves the life and attempts to restore the hope of a distraught ballerina, Terry, played by Claire Bloom.

If ever there was a movie to give you hope and lift spirits in dark times, this is it. Calvero's monologues and scenes to help encourage Terry back on her feet(literally) are a perfect remedy for the times (like the ones we live in) when it easy to lose hope. Courage, imagination and a little dough, he tells her is all that is needed to get by.

In Limelight Chaplin also gives great insight into the highs and the devastating lows an of artist's career. Calvero expresses his love\hate relationship towards the theatre, his audience and his almost spent life.

Chaplin, as usual gives a suave, nimble, moving and funny performance and he allows Claire Bloom to totally blossom in the role of Terry.The films is even more special by featuring the only appearance together of Chaplin and Buster Keaton in a brief comedy routine. Their time together on screen is priceless and the routine, very funny

The rest of the considerable supporting cast(including Nigel Bruce and Norman Lloyd) do their best but are bound by Chaplin's constricting direction. As is usually noticeable in a Chaplin talkie, the other actors only mechanically express what their director has instructed them to do.

Even Keaton's character is only referred to as "Calvero's partner" and never even given a name. The brief time Keaton appears on screen Chaplin hardly acknowledges the character's precense. (One can't help feeling the cameo was a condescending piece of charity on Chaplin's part to his more humble screen rival.) Also; has any director ever granted themselves more self-glorifying and self-pitying close ups than Chaplin in this movie?

But all this(and the fact that the movie runs way too long) is totally forgivable as only Chaplin could produce such a giant movie of inspiration and uplifting spirit.

Should have been Chaplin's swansong....

[The_Movie_Cat · 7/10 · 13 May 2008]

While The King Of New York is a decent enough movie, it is just that... a movie. Limelight is the final work to be touched by Chaplin's genius.

Of course, it's never perhaps quite as good as you'd like it to be. It's just that little too long, the beauty of the poetic dialogue becomes a little too purple from time to time, and Chaplin and Bloom seem to be talking within a limited tone throughout. Most importantly, the stage performances of Chaplin - or "Calvero" - that bring the house down are painfully dated and unfunny.

But despite never perhaps reaching its ultimate potential, it's an extremely satisfying movie. The performances owe little to Stanislavski and the sentiment is almost cloying, but seeing the past master as a washed up nobody with multiple failed marriages dying while new life waits to take over the spotlight is deeply moving. Somewhere in Limelight is a classic picture... the Limelight that got made is just merely a very good one. Perhaps most surprising is that it did such good business worldwide that, while virtually blacklisted in America for its release, it was Chaplin's most commercially successful film.

Pauline Kael Called This "Slimelight"

[bigverybadtom · 1/10 · 6 August 2011]

Though the late critic was often too negative in her movie reviews, unfortunately she was on target in this case. The movie is overlong, hammy, sentimental without being moving, and self-congratulatory.

The story about a washed-up vaudevillian and a suicidal female dancer could have been good. But Chaplin has done everything wrong, from bad acting and directing to filling the dialog with clichés. Even the act with Buster Keaton is unfunny, and the final moment-Calvero has a heart attack after his act and dies as the ballet dancer performs hers, is absurdly mawkish. Charlie Chaplin really was washed up by then, and would never come back to his former glory.