Casting director for circus performers: Allan Garcia. Continuity girl: Della Steele. Laboratory supervisor: William E. Hinkley. Music for sound version composed by Charles Chaplin. Producer: Charles Chaplin.
Copyright 6 January 1928 by Charles Chaplin. Released through United Artists.
New York opening at the Mark Strand, 7 January 1928. 7 reels. 6,700 feet. DVD available from Warner Home Video.
SYNOPSIS: Charlie inadvertently joins a circus.
NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave a Special Award to Charles Chaplin, "for versatility and genius in writing, acting, directing and producing The Circus." Chaplin was also nominated for Best Actor (the award was won by Emil Jannings) and Best Comedy Director (Lewis Milestone received the award). The movie itself was voted number six in The Film Daily's 1928 poll of American film critics.
COMMENT: Although, disappointingly, it is not one of his funniest films (some of the jokes, especially the horse pill and some similar experiments, now seem extremely old, tired and totally worn out), "The Circus" still carries more than enough Chaplin magic to make it extremely watchable.
It's absolutely impossible to go past Chaplin for his mastery of comic timing, and here in "The Circus", such inspired timing is as deft as ever. Fortunately, Chaplin's brilliantly neat footwork is also just as fancy, and remarkable as ever. And as for performance wise, Chaplin has it all over the rest of the cast.
In my opinion, whilst I found some of the other players to be totally forgettable, Chaplin's own performance registered strongly enough that I still remember it, even though it is at least twenty years since I saw the movie in a theater. My memory is that Chaplin did actually win an acting nomination for his performance in this movie. He fully deserved it!
Copyright 6 January 1928 by Charles Chaplin. Released through United Artists.
New York opening at the Mark Strand, 7 January 1928. 7 reels. 6,700 feet. DVD available from Warner Home Video.
SYNOPSIS: Charlie inadvertently joins a circus.
NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave a Special Award to Charles Chaplin, "for versatility and genius in writing, acting, directing and producing The Circus." Chaplin was also nominated for Best Actor (the award was won by Emil Jannings) and Best Comedy Director (Lewis Milestone received the award). The movie itself was voted number six in The Film Daily's 1928 poll of American film critics.
COMMENT: Although, disappointingly, it is not one of his funniest films (some of the jokes, especially the horse pill and some similar experiments, now seem extremely old, tired and totally worn out), "The Circus" still carries more than enough Chaplin magic to make it extremely watchable.
It's absolutely impossible to go past Chaplin for his mastery of comic timing, and here in "The Circus", such inspired timing is as deft as ever. Fortunately, Chaplin's brilliantly neat footwork is also just as fancy, and remarkable as ever. And as for performance wise, Chaplin has it all over the rest of the cast.
In my opinion, whilst I found some of the other players to be totally forgettable, Chaplin's own performance registered strongly enough that I still remember it, even though it is at least twenty years since I saw the movie in a theater. My memory is that Chaplin did actually win an acting nomination for his performance in this movie. He fully deserved it!