Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-227) and index.
Contents:
Chaplin and the basic parameters of dark comedy -- Chaplin's life and career to 1918 -- The war bond rallies of 1918: a neglected patriot -- Shoulder arms and war as a film topic in 1918 -- Moving to the post-war 1920s -- The 1930s and gathering war clouds -- Napoleon, Hitler and the great dictator -- After The great dictator; before Monsieur Verdoux -- Monsieur Verdoux, without his "talisman" Charlie -- Monsieur Verdoux to limelight: from "The little tramp" to "The little red" -- Two bitter kings, dark comedy reality, and a lesson from Monsieur Verdoux -- Coming full circle: Chaplin's last years, an unrealized darkly comic project, and a final macabre twist -- Epilogue -- Filmography.
Summary:
"The book examines Chaplin's evolving perspective on dark comedy in his three war films, Shoulder Arms (1918), The Great Dictator(1940), and Monsieur Verdoux (1947). In the first he uses the genre in a groundbreaking manner but yet for a pro-war cause. In Dictator dark comedy is applied in an antiwar way"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.