A tippling ex-vaudeville performer in 1914 London takes in a suicidal young woman who longs to be a ballerina. Vanity project from writer-director-producer-star Charles Chaplin (who also composed the music score and actually won a belated Oscar for this in 1972, due to eligibility requirements!). The film itself is sadly unsuccessful: hammy, sentiment-steeped, yet still unmoving, it uncomfortably catches Chaplin in a self-reverential mood (he's constantly playing to the camera). Claire Bloom is lovely in support, but Buster Keaton is left with little to do. A maudlin and rather sickly piece of fluff. *1/2 from ****
Review of Limelight
