The Immigrant (1917) dir. Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin’s fame became so great it he’s endured as a household name for over a century. It’s not terribly hard to find somebody who’s at least aware of Buster Keaton, and most people into movies will at least recognize the name Harold Lloyd. Cecil B. DeMille rings a few bells, and people may be familiar with the legend of Eric von Stroheim without realizing it when they picture a director in jodhpurs holding a riding crop.

But mention Chaplin and the image of a bow-legged walk, bowler hat and toothbrush mustache comes to most everybody’s mind. And this image exists independently of Chaplin whose outsized and often controversial public persona is now confined to history. Chaplin enjoyed immense success as a silent movie star, but also condemnation for his dalliances with young women and exile for his politics. You could argue it’s the Tramp character that survives in the public consciousness with Chaplin’s name along for the ride.

Here Chaplin and Tramp mix, as the auteur’s journey to the United States as an immigrant was a big part of his own story. Not sure this can be called autobiographical, but if his trip included this much slapstick it would explain a lot. Ironically this film – specifically the scene where the tramp kicks an immigration officer – was used as evidence of Chaplin’s anti-Americanism in 1952 when such things were being brought in front of committees. Chaplin soon became The Emigrant from the United States, only returning 20 years later to collect an honorary Oscar in his years of declining health.