Alternative to What: Chaplin (1992)

Robert Downey Jr.

Welcome to Alternative to What: a weekly column that tries to find a great alternative to driving to the multiplexes. Based on releases of that week, the selections will either be thematically related or feature recurring cast and crew. The goal is to help you better understand the diversity of cinema and hopefully find you some favorites while saving a few bucks. At worse, this column will save you money. Expect each installment to come out on Fridays, unless specified. 

THIS WEEK:

Chaplin (1992)

- Alternative To -

Catinflas (2014)

There is a particular question to ask when considering this selection: why go after a foreign film? Up until checking this week's new releases, I had no idea that Catinflas was a real film. In fact, I am surprised that it is playing at a theater near you and not just niche joints. Not knowing much about the film save for the plot, I have decided to find an alternative to it not out of ignorance or racism, but on the similarity of the subject. Catinflas follows the life of Mexico's greatest comedy star. These biopics are a dime a dozen with Get on Up being a recent example of an American take on eccentric yet beloved figures. As I thought more and more about what entertainment could be alternative to this, I landed on a double whammy: Chaplin.

For starters, this selection is relevant not only because of the subject matter, but because of the force behind it. This week, Richard Attenborough died. Among his many works, he directed this 1992 film about the iconic Charles Chaplin as played by Robert Downey Jr. in an Oscar nominated role. While Attenborough had a massive career full of high achievements, Chaplin remains my favorite of his largely because it is an introductory source to the beloved silent comedian himself. There's the origin of his outfit to the historical disputes that lead to some of his greatest films. Chaplin was a man of great ambition, and it is all captured here.

What also helps that Attenborough was as much an actor as he was a director akin to Robert Redford or Ben Affleck later on. He knew how to capture great performances, including most notably for Ben Kingsley in Gandhi. It only seemed logical that he would tackle a film about one of Hollywood's most iconic figures. Thankfully, with the young Downey Jr. in his most ambitious phase of his storied career, the elements came together and produced one of the best biopics of the 90's.

It is a tale of highs and lows with an amazing performance. I can only presume with Catinflas that it will hit similar beats and reflect a strangely problematic private life. With that said, I cannot attest to Chaplin's authenticity, though it is a film that works on its own logic and succeeds in convincing me that Downey Jr. is Chaplin. That's an awful lot of accomplishment. If nothing else, this film should be taken as a gateway into Chaplin's actual filmography. Much like Ed Wood later on, this film enhances the impact of the films by allowing the context and effort to be made clearer. If you're looking for an excuse to watch Chaplin's greats, such as Modern Times or The Gold Rush, Chaplin does a great job of introducing why they are important pieces of work.
It is doubtful that Catinflas will be as successful in America as Chaplin. As it states, he is an icon of Mexican culture and thus will appeal more towards that audience. Maybe newcomers will learn a thing or two, but it is a stretch. Few foreign films become cultural touchstones in mainstream America. It is even debatable that Chaplin was a landmark film. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining, informational film that presents a lot and gets you to care about the comedian. If nothing else, please consider this a recommendation to remember the late Richard Attenborough, whose storied career produced a lot of great content, one of which was a really good directing career that included gems such as this.