Plot: What’s it about?
Calvero (Charlie Chaplin) has entertained the masses for years, but his career is coming to its conclusion. His days as a dance hall comedian have been memorable, as he has been a major star for the duration of those years. His star shone brighter than most could even dream of, perhaps one of the most famous clowns of all time. But time has passed him by it seems, as a new generation of entertainers is poised to take the stage. Calvero has no wish to overstay his welcome, but he does want to end his career with dignity, as well as one last great sweep. His life has an empty space and in order to fill that void, he thinks a run at one final curtain call is needed. But his comeback is somewhat mediocre, as his material is still solid, but the audiences have changed and its harder to keep them laughing. He soon meets a young ballet dancer named Terry (Claire Bloom), who tries to take her own life. Calvero prevents her from doing so however, which sparks a friendship and special bond between the two. This event also stirs something inside of Calvero, who now has added drive within himself. But as he bravely storms the stages once again, will he fall flat in the end, or dazzle the crowds one last time?
This is by no means the finest work of cinema genius Charlie Chaplin, but for dedicated fans of his work, Limelight is a terrific feature. The film might not be as parallel with his own life as he might have envisioned, but it is a stunning, candid look inside his own self, which means Limelight packs a strong emotional punch. As usual in these kind of movies, some obvious cliches unroll to pull a few tears, but this is not the typical tearjerker, not even close. Chaplin’s trademark elements are in place and well executed, from his excellent direction to the great performances to the wonderful comedic set pieces. Limelight isn’t an all out laugh overload, but as always, Chaplin was able to weave together comic moments with genuine emotion. So to quote the old movie adage, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll experience all the stops within. The cast is superb here, starting with Chaplin’s superb effort, then Claire Bloom’s excellent turn, not to mention the gifted supporting players. The film’s critics claim Chaplin is too self serving with Limelight, which is a valid critique, but he never takes things too far and in the end, the movie remains effective in all respects. Is Limelight flawless? Of course not, but Chaplin had set such a high watermark for his own work, you come into the movie expecting sheer perfection. So explore some of his other works, then check out Limelight, as the movie is better with some Chaplin experience.
I always mention Jackie Chan as my favorite active actor, so it should be no surprise that Charlie Chaplin is my personal choice for all time greatest actor. Chaplin might not karate kick his foes, but his sense of intense involvement, attention to detail, and flawless comic timing were obvious influences on Chan’s career. Chaplin’s usual level of physical comedy isn’t on showcase in this picture, but he does offer some memorable moments. In truth, for a man of his age, he does some impressive stunts in Limelight. So he might not have been in his prime here, but you can tell he is still on his game, just to a lesser extent. This is still more drama than you’ll see in most of Chaplin’s projects, but if you’ve seen a number of his pictures, you should know what kind of mixture to expect from Limelight. There is enough comedy to keep things light at times, but Limelight is a human drama, so don’t expect pure slapstick here. Other films with Chaplin include City Lights, The Great Dictator, Modern Times, The Circus, and Monsieur Verdoux. The cast also includes Claire Bloom (Clash of the Titans, The Haunting), Nigel Bruce (The Woman in Green, Julia Misbehaves), and Buster Keaton (The General, The Spook Speaks).
Video: How does it look?
Limelight is presented in full frame, as intended. All the fanfare of Warner’s new restored transfer has been heard, but does this new presentation of Limelight warrant all the fuss? As it turns out, not in the least. Yes, the movie looks good, but Image’s release offers a superior visual effort and none of the flaws found here. The new transfers for Warner’s Chaplin Collection were mastered in the PAL format, the video format used in the European section of Region 2. As such, these American editions have the same transfers and sure enough, some conversion issues arise and some are quite substantial. The end result is still a solid visual treatment, but I had high expectations and this transfer didn’t live up to the promises. If you can’t find the Image release, this one is acceptable, but for Chaplin buffs, the Image edition is the preferable option.
Audio: How does it sound?
A new Dolby Digital 5.1 option is included here, which I think could be overkill in this case, but I know some of you are surround sound addicts. The material has signs of age, but the pops, hiss, and distortion prove to be infrequent. So no, there hasn’t been extensive restoration work done, but good source elements have been used. The mix has a more natural, pleasant texture than expected, given the limits of the material and such. But by the same token, don’t expect too much, as the material isn’t dynamic by nature. I still prefer the original mono soundtrack, which is also found here, but for those who need surround sound, this is a solid presentation. This release also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Thai, which should cover most the needs of most folks.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The extras begin with an introduction with Chaplin biographer David Robinson, which contains a nice overview of the troubled production. More behind the scenes insight can be found in Chaplin Today- Limelight, which runs just under half an hour in length. This piece includes some rare footage, selected interviews, and some still photos, all of which help tell the story of how Limelight was produced. This is an excellent piece and even if you’re not a big fan of the movie, it is well worth a look for Chaplin devotees. This release also includes the restored short The Professor, a selection of Chaplin’s home movies, an archive of production photos & sketches, a special deleted scene, the film’s isolated musical score, two excerpts from the novel as read by Chaplin, poster artwork, and two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
