Episode 137: Chaplin (1992)

Welcome, welcome, and welcome again to a new series here at Max, Mike; Movies: “Semi-Real People”! In this series, Mike and I will be viewing, conferring, conversing, and otherwise hobnobbing about so-called “bio-pics,” movies that are (allegedly) true stores about (more or less) real people.  And we’re kicking it off with silence!

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Ok, that’s boring and doesn’t make for a good podcast, but our subject does involve silence, inasmuch as we’re talking about “Chaplin,” the bio-pic about Charlie Chaplin, one of the greatest stars of Hollywood’s Silent Era.  See what I did there? In this 1992 film, based loosely on Chaplin’s own autobiography, which explains kind of a lot about this movie, we watch Robert Downey Jr. earn an Oscar nomination in his portrayal of one of the earliest members of Hollywood royalty.  Does his performance hold up? Does the film hold up? Will the chair hold up? And what about Naomi? For the answer to (some) of these and other questions, give a listen!

Also, consider giving a response to our Poll Question: “Have you ever walked out of a movie? If so, which one? And why?” Please leave an answer in the comment section below! Thank you, won’t you?

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7 thoughts on “Episode 137: Chaplin (1992)”

  1. Oh gosh, a movie I’ve walked out of. There’s only one movie I’ve ever done that to, and that was The Dictator, that Sacha Baron Cohen vehicle. I didn’t walk out because it was bad; I walked out because my sister and I were taken to see it by my grandmother when we were TEN AND EIGHT YEARS OLD. Or around that age, anyways. You can imagine how shocked we were by some of the stuff said.

    I keep meaning to go back and watch it, but at this point it’s actually a running joke between me and my grandmother…

    1. Wow, Ned, that does seem an odd choice for small children! Thanks for the response! We will definitely use it in our next show!

  2. Little trivia – Mack Sennett Studios was situated in the Eastern end of the San Fernando Valley. Because it was such a successful, busy studio, the city that rose around it was called Studio City (the town where I live). CBS now occupies the site where Sennett was.

    As for walking out on a movie, I don’t think I ever have. I’m pretty selective about what I go to see, so I’m usually pretty sure I’m going to like a film before I go.

    1. Thanks for the trivia. I can now say that I have been to somewhere depicted in one of the movies we’ve watched! Ok, I could have said that many times, but now I can say it again! Thanks for trying to respond; we’ll have more polls you can add to later.

  3. I MUST have walked out of a movie at some point but I cannot remember ever doing it. I did have to stop watching “In a Glass Cage” on VHS because it was so intense. Something was about to happen involving a singing child and a knife and me and my ex Toby just could not watch it. We did finish it the next day, it was a great film but… man…
    I almost walked out of “The Messenger” and would have if our friend Scott hadn’t stood up, addressed the other 10 people in the audience , took out his lighter and said “If we just burn her now we don’t have to watch the rest of this movie!” and the others started yelling “Burn her!” so we spend the rest of the movie making running commentary.

    1. Ahh, I see that you, too (SPOILER) have not actually walked out of a movie. I tried, twice but didn’t succeed. Thanks for answering, Vince! We’ll do more of these. Please feel free to keep adding your perspective!

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