Charlie Chaplin: A Photo Diary

Rating:
Summary: The Case of the Accidental Chaplin
Review: I wasn't going to buy this book. Honest. But after picking up Jeffrey Vance's two compelling photo collections for Abrams on Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton (and not expecting a third), I broke down and picked up this European imprint so I'd have one for each of the triumvirate of Silent comedy kings. Now I read that Vance is releasing a new Chaplin photo volume in the fall: "Chaplin: Genius of the Cinema". Ah, well. Someone was going to get my money sooner or later.

Not that I regret buying this one. No sir. It's full of rare public and private Chaplin photos including many with the stunning Paulette Goddard (her mother appears in so many of them, you'd think she was trying to be their chaperone!) I would've preferred fewer later pictures of Chaplin with his children and more of his actual film work as Vance usually does (these are mainly restricted to a few collages.) And I did miss pictures of more celebrities (I was particularly hoping for some shots of Chaplin working with cohort Stan Laurel during their earliest theatre days.) But the personal and behind-the-scenes selection they've included here certainly adds a whole new dimension to the man behind "The Tramp".

Just to clarify, some descriptions of this book are incorrect and were probably issued before the volume went to print. There is no essay by Sophia Loren as some indicate (it's done by Sam Stourdze), and no final colour shot of Chaplin (the only colour in the whole book is some home movie clips by Chaplin's brother of "The Great Dictator".)

This volume is larger and cheaper than the upcoming Vance book and has a more personal side of Chaplin while "Genius" will probably include more text (though both books are limited in this area given their photographic nature) and focus on the professional side. Either way, take your pick. Or get both which I'll probably do...after my pocketbook recovers.

Rating:
Summary: An incredible book!
Review: This book is worth every penny and is a must for all Chaplin fans. I have been a Chaplin afficianado for many years and this generous volume contains images I had never seen before. It covers every decade of his amazing career, including very rare candids while he was still in his 20's and starting his own studio. We see him without make-up, being himself. We watch him age, decade after decade. We see him on a cruise to the Far East with Paulette Goddard and Alistair Cooke in 1936; he poses with dignitaries and legends such as Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein; and, we see him as an old, contented man, with the love of his life, Oona O'Neill Chaplin, and their 8 children.

Photos express far more than words in this book. I believe this is the first time I've seen photos that look into the eyes and soul of this film pioneer. You see him in front of and behind the camera. You see his wit and his dedication. Page after page of fascinating, incredible photographs make this an absolute must for anyone who wants a glimpse into those bygone days of the silent screen comedy.