Jump to content

The Circus (1928 film): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Undid revision 405266337 by Jack Sebastian (talk) Wiki rules say no such thing. Consensus is clear to remove it.
this might work, bookending the problem and still keeping the majority of the issue on the other page
Line 62: Line 62:


Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus</ref> but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.<ref name="DVDJ"/><ref>Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". ''Film History''. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.</ref> The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl</ref>
Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus</ref> but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.<ref name="DVDJ"/><ref>Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". ''Film History''. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.</ref> The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.<ref>http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Internet phenomena#Videos]] - Internet speculation that a "time traveller" may be visible in footage of the film's premiere, based upon a bystander using what appears to be a [[cellular phone]]. Nicholas Jackson, associate editor for [[The Atlantic]], seeking to [[debunk]] that hypothesis, believes that the item in question was either a [[Siemens]] or [[Western Electric]] brand hearing aid.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 04:35, 3 January 2011

The Circus
File:Chalincircus2b.jpg
Original US poster
Directed byCharlie Chaplin
Written byCharlie Chaplin
Produced byCharlie Chaplin
StarringCharlie Chaplin
Al Ernest Garcia
Merna Kennedy
Henry Bergman
Music byGünter Kochan (1969)
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
January 6, 1928 (1928-01-06)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent film
English intertitles

The Circus is a 1928 silent film which finds Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp character being chased by a police officer, having been mistaken for a pickpocket. Running into the circus main tent in an attempt to escape the law, the patrons there mistake his fleeing for part of the act - and the best part! Recognising potential profit, the ringmaster hires him, but discovers that The Tramp can only be funny unintentionally, not on purpose. It stars Chaplin, Al Ernest Garcia, Merna Kennedy, Harry Crocker, George Davis and Henry Bergman.

The movie was written by Chaplin and Joseph Plunkett (prologue, uncredited) and directed by Chaplin. It became the 7th highest grossing silent film in cinema history[1] taking in more than $3.8 million dollars in 1928.

The production of the film was the most difficult experience in Chaplin's career. Numerous problems and delays occurred, including a studio fire, the death of Chaplin's mother, as well as Chaplin's bitter divorce from his second wife Lita Grey, and the Internal Revenue Service's claims of Chaplin's owed back taxes, all of which culminated in filming being stalled for eight months[2].

Plot

After being mistakenly suspected as a pickpocket and chased by the police, a Tramp (Chaplin) happens to stumble in the middle of a circus performance and unknowingly becomes the hit of the show. He is hired by the circus Ring Master and thus he becomes a part of the group. His romantic attraction to Merna, the Ring Master's stepdaughter is thwarted by a rival suitor, a tightrope walker called Rex. This results in the tramp's failure as a clown as well as a lover. In the end, the tramp takes the initiative for the marriage of Merna and Rex and he leaves the group, though the new couple wanted him to remain as a part of the circus.

Cast

Academy Awards

It was nominated for the four Academy Awards all for Charlie Chaplin but the Academy took Chaplin out of the running for competitive awards by giving him a Special Award. The Academy no longer lists his nominations in their official list of nominees, although most unofficial lists of nominations do include him.

Award Nominee
Best Production United Artists (Charlie Chaplin, Producer)
Best Director of a Comedy Picture Charlie Chaplin
Best Actor Charlie Chaplin
Best Writing (Original Story) Charlie Chaplin
The Academy took him out of the running for the Awards and gave him a Special Award.
Special Award To Charles Chaplin
for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus.

Re-release

Chaplin reissued the film with a new musical score and with a recording of him singing "Swing High Little Girl" playing over the opening credits. It is unclear what year this re-release took place, as the official Charlie Chaplin website reports that it was in 1969,[3] but numerous other sources say it happened in 1970.[2][4] The newly produced music is dated 1968, as is the copyright date on the print of the reissue.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Variety; Biggest Money Pictures
  2. ^ a b Bourne, Mark. "The Circus: The Chaplin Collection". Reviews. DVDJournal,com. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  3. ^ http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/1-The-Circus
  4. ^ Vance, Jeffrey. " 'The Circus': A Chaplin Masterpiece". Film History. vol.8 pp.186-208, 1996.
  5. ^ http://www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles/84-Swing-little-girl