CHARLIE CHAPLIN: Interviews

Silent cinema star Chaplin was a visual genius. He spoke in images, not words, which may explain his discomfort with reporters as well as why this book of interviews is a mixed bag. Hayes, an English professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, mined the more thoughtful interviews Chaplin gave between 1915 and 1967. They reveal his philosophies of filmmaking, his artistic spontaneity and his love of character over plot. Hayes minimizes the controversies that surrounded Chaplin—his marriages and his politics—and focuses on his aesthetic. The collection opens with a 1915 Motion Picture Magazine article that details his move to Essanay studio in order to write, direct and star, and ends with Chaplin's comments on his 1967 critical failure, The Countess from Hong Kong . Each decade of Chaplin's career is dutifully noted, and interesting tidbits abound, such as the inspiration for The Little Tramp 's iconic walk and mustache. But the book's drawback is pronounced: the repetitive nature of celebrity interviews is such that almost every entry describes Chaplin's poverty-stricken childhood and his training in Fred Karno's vaudeville troupe. There are gems—Bosley Crowther's 1960 New York Times Magazine article is the most succinct and affords an insightful overview of Chaplin's life and career—but readers have to work to find them. (Feb.)