Charlie Chaplin

Richard Carr’s Charlie Chaplin explains how Chaplin’s life, both on and off the screen, was constantly politically engaged. Chaplin made a number of political films, from the capitalism bashing Modern Times to the anti-war ethos of The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux. But these films were only the tip of the iceberg. Chaplin believed that he could cure the world of intolerance and economic depression and was able to discuss his ideas with some of the leading thinkers of his day. This work, in surveying Chaplin’s life from Lambeth to Los Angeles, places the politics centre-stage. Charlie Chaplin is essential reading for all students of 20th century history.