Editing Charlie Chaplin (section)

===1953–1977: European years===

====Move to Switzerland and ''A King in New York''====
{{Rquote|right|text=I have been the object of lies and propaganda by powerful reactionary groups who, by their influence and by the aid of America's yellow press, have created an unhealthy atmosphere in which liberal-minded individuals can be singled out and persecuted. Under these conditions I find it virtually impossible to continue my motion-picture work, and I have therefore given up my residence in the United States.|author=Charlie Chaplin's press release regarding his decision not to seek re{{nbh}}entry to the US{{sfn|Larcher|p=89}}}}

Chaplin did not attempt to return to the United States after his re-entry permit was revoked, and instead sent his wife to settle his affairs.{{efn|Before leaving America, Chaplin had ensured that Oona had access to his assets.{{sfn|Robinson|p=580}}}} The couple decided to settle in Switzerland and, in January 1953, the family moved into their permanent home: [[Manoir de Ban]], a {{convert|14|ha|acre|adj=on}} estate<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/film-legend-found-peace-on-lake-geneva/12814 |title=Film Legend Found Peace on Lake Geneva |author=Dale Bechtel |year=2002 |website=swissinfo.ch/eng |publisher=Vevey |access-date=5 December 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209213503/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/film-legend-found-peace-on-lake-geneva/12814 |archive-date=9 December 2014}}</ref> overlooking [[Lake Geneva]] in [[Corsier-sur-Vevey]].{{sfn|Robinson|pp=580–581}}{{efn|Robinson speculates that Switzerland was probably chosen because it "was likely to be the most advantageous from a financial point of view".{{sfn|Robinson|p=581}}}} Chaplin put his Beverly Hills house and studio up for sale in March, and surrendered his re-entry permit in April. The next year, his wife renounced her US citizenship and became a British citizen.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=584, 674}} Chaplin severed the last of his professional ties with the United States in 1955, when he sold the remainder of his stock in United Artists, which had been in financial difficulty since the early 1940s.{{sfnm|1a1=Lynn|1pp=466–467|2a1=Robinson|2p=584|3a1=Balio|3pp=17–21}}

Chaplin remained a controversial figure throughout the 1950s, especially after he was awarded the [[World Peace Council prizes|International Peace Prize]] by the communist-led [[World Peace Council]], and after his meetings with [[Zhou Enlai]] and [[Nikita Khrushchev]].{{sfnm|1a1=Maland|1y=1989|1p=318|2a1=Robinson|2p=584}} He began developing his first European film, ''[[A King in New York]]'', in 1954.{{sfn|Robinson|p=585}} Casting himself as an exiled king who seeks asylum in the United States, Chaplin included several of his recent experiences in the screenplay. His son, Michael, was cast as a boy whose parents are targeted by the FBI, while Chaplin's character faces accusations of communism.{{sfn|Louvish|pp=xiv–xv}} The political satire parodied HUAC and attacked elements of 1950s culture{{snd}}including consumerism, plastic surgery, and wide-screen cinema.{{sfnm|1a1=Louvish|1p=341|2a1=Maland|2y=1989|2pp=320–321|3a1=Robinson|3pp=588–589|4a1=Larcher|4pp=89–90}} In a review, the playwright [[John Osborne]] called it Chaplin's "most bitter" and "most openly personal" film.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=587–589}} In a 1957 interview, when asked to clarify his political views, Chaplin stated "As for politics, I am an anarchist. I hate government and rules{{snd}}and fetters{{spaces}}... People must be free."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chaplin |first1=Charlie |last2=Hayes |first2=Kevin |title=Charlie Chaplin: Interviews |date=2005 |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |page=121}}{{ISBN?}}</ref>

Chaplin founded a new production company, Attica, and used [[Shepperton Studios]] for the shooting.{{sfn|Robinson|p=585}} Filming in England proved a difficult experience, as he was used to his own Hollywood studio and familiar crew, and no longer had limitless production time. According to Robinson, this had an effect on the quality of the film.{{sfnm|1a1=Epstein|1p=137|2a1=Robinson|2p=587}} ''A King in New York'' was released in September 1957, and received mixed reviews.{{sfnm|1a1=Lynn|1p=506|2a1=Louvish|2p=342|3a1=Maland|3y=1989|3p=322}} Chaplin banned American journalists from its Paris première and decided not to release the film in the United States. This severely limited its revenue, although it achieved moderate commercial success in Europe.{{sfn|Robinson|p=591}} ''A King in New York'' was not shown in America until 1973.{{sfn|Louvish|p=347}}{{sfn|Vance|2003|p=329}}

====Final works and renewed appreciation====
[[File:Chaplin family 1961.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Chaplin with his wife Oona and six of their eight children (Jane and [[Christopher Chaplin|Christopher]] are absent) in 1961]]

In the last two decades of his career, Chaplin concentrated on re-editing and scoring his old films for re-release, along with securing their ownership and distribution rights.{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=326}} In an interview he gave in 1959, the year of his 70th birthday, Chaplin stated that there was still "room for the Little Man in the atomic age".{{sfn|Robinson|pp=594–595}} The first of these re-releases was ''[[The Chaplin Revue]]'' (1959), which included new versions of ''A Dog's Life'', ''Shoulder Arms'', and ''The Pilgrim''.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=594–595}}

In America, the political atmosphere began to change and attention was once again directed to Chaplin's films instead of his views.{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=326}} In July 1962, the ''New York Times'' published an editorial stating, "We do not believe the Republic would be in danger if yesterday's unforgotten little tramp were allowed to amble down the gangplank of a steamer or plane in an American port".{{sfn|Lynn|pp=507–508}} The same month, Chaplin was invested with the honorary degree of [[Doctor of Letters]] by the universities of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[Durham University|Durham]].{{sfn|Robinson|pp=598–599}} In November 1963, the Plaza Theater in New York started a year-long series of Chaplin's films, including ''Monsieur Verdoux'' and ''Limelight'', which gained excellent reviews from American critics.{{sfnm|1a1=Lynn|1p=509|2a1=Maland|2y=1989|2p=330}} September 1964 saw the release of Chaplin's memoir, ''[[My Autobiography (Chaplin book)|My Autobiography]]'', which he had been working on since 1957.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=602–605}} The 500-page book became a worldwide best-seller. It focused on his early years and personal life, and was criticised for lacking information on his film career.{{sfnm|1a1=Robinson|1pp=605–607|2a1=Lynn|2pp=510–512}}

Shortly after the publication of his memoir, Chaplin began work on ''[[A Countess from Hong Kong]]'' (1967), a romantic comedy based on a script he had written for Paulette Goddard in the 1930s.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=608–609}} Set on an ocean liner, it starred [[Marlon Brando]] as an American ambassador and [[Sophia Loren]] as a stowaway found in his cabin.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=608–609}} The film differed from Chaplin's earlier productions in several aspects. It was his first to use [[Technicolor]] and the [[widescreen]] format, while he concentrated on directing and appeared on-screen only in a cameo role as a seasick steward.{{sfn|Robinson|p=612}} He also signed a deal with [[Universal Pictures]] and appointed his assistant, [[Jerome Epstein (director)|Jerome Epstein]], as the producer.{{sfn|Robinson|p=607}} Chaplin was paid $600,000 director's fee as well as a percentage of the gross receipts.{{sfn|Vance|2003|p=330}} ''A Countess from Hong Kong'' premiered in January 1967, to unfavourable reviews, and was a box-office failure.{{sfn|Epstein|pp=192–196}}{{sfnm|1a1=Lynn|1p=518|2a1=Maland|2y=1989|2p=335}} Chaplin was deeply hurt by the negative reaction to the film, which turned out to be his last.{{sfn|Epstein|pp=192–196}}

Chaplin had a series of minor strokes in the late 1960s, which marked the beginning of a slow decline in his health.{{sfn|Robinson|p=619}} Despite the setbacks, he was soon writing a new film script, ''The Freak'', a story of a winged girl found in South America, which he intended as a starring vehicle for his daughter, Victoria.{{sfn|Robinson|p=619}} His fragile health prevented the project from being realised.{{sfn|Epstein|p=203}} In the early 1970s, Chaplin concentrated on re-releasing his old films, including ''The Kid'' and ''The Circus''.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=620–621}} In 1971, he was made a [[Legion of Honour|Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour]] at the [[Cannes Film Festival]].{{sfn|Robinson|p=621}} The following year, he was honoured with a special award by the [[Venice Film Festival]].{{sfn|Robinson|p=625}}
[[File:Chaplin oscar.JPG|thumb|left|Chaplin (right) receiving his [[Honorary Academy Award]] from [[Jack Lemmon]] in 1972. It was the first time he had been to the United States in twenty years.]]

In 1972, the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] offered Chaplin an Honorary Award, which Robinson sees as a sign that America "wanted to make amends". Chaplin was initially hesitant about accepting but decided to return to the US for the first time in 20 years.{{sfn|Robinson|p=621}} The visit attracted a large amount of press coverage and, at the Academy Awards gala, he was given a 12-minute standing ovation, the longest in the academy's history.{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=347}} Visibly emotional, Chaplin accepted his award for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century".{{sfn|Robinson|pp=623–625}}

Although Chaplin still had plans for future film projects, by the mid-1970s he was very frail.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=627–628}} He experienced several further strokes, which made it difficult for him to communicate, and he had to use a wheelchair.{{sfn|Robinson|p=626}}<ref name="EugeneChaplin">{{cite news|last=Thomas |first=David |title=When Chaplin Played Father |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3587749/When-Chaplin-played-father.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=26 December 2002 |access-date=26 June 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715051303/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3587749/When-Chaplin-played-father.html |archive-date=15 July 2012}}</ref> His final projects were compiling a pictorial autobiography, ''My Life in Pictures'' (1974) and scoring ''A Woman of Paris'' for re-release in 1976.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=626–628}} He also appeared in a documentary about his life, ''The Gentleman Tramp'' (1975), directed by Richard Patterson.{{sfn|Lynn|pp=534–536}} In the [[1975 New Year Honours]], Chaplin was awarded a knighthood by Queen [[Elizabeth II]],{{sfn|Robinson|pp=626–628}}<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=46444 |date=31 December 1975 |supp=1 |page=8 |title=To be Ordinary Knights Commanders{{spaces}}... }}</ref>{{efn|The honour had already been proposed in 1931 and 1956, but was vetoed after a [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign Office]] report raised concerns over Chaplin's political views and private life. They feared the act would damage the reputation of the [[British honours system]] and relations with the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2141391.stm |title=Chaplin Knighthood Blocked |publisher=BBC |access-date=15 February 2010 |date=21 July 2002 |first=Paul |last=Reynolds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060205195220/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2141391.stm |archive-date=5 February 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref>}} though he was too weak to kneel and received the honour in his wheelchair.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Little Tramp Becomes Sir Charles|date=5 March 1975 |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/charlie-chaplin-knighted-queens-elizabeth-1975-article-1.2548959 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192525/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/charlie-chaplin-knighted-queens-elizabeth-1975-article-1.2548959 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

====Death====
[[File:Charles Chaplin Grave in Corsier-sur-Vevey.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Chaplin's grave in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland]]

By October 1977, Chaplin's health had declined to the point that he needed constant care.{{sfn|Robinson|p=629}} In the early morning of [[Christmas|Christmas Day]] 1977, Chaplin died at home after having a stroke in his sleep.<ref name="EugeneChaplin"/> He was 88 years old. The funeral, on 27 December, was a small and private [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] ceremony, according to his wishes.{{sfn|Vance|2003|p=359}}{{efn|Despite asking for an Anglican funeral, Chaplin appeared to be agnostic. In his autobiography he wrote, "I am not religious in the dogmatic sense{{spaces}}... I neither believe nor disbelieve in anything{{spaces}}... My faith is in the unknown, in all that we do not understand by reason; I believe that{{spaces}}... in the realm of the unknown there is an infinite power for good."{{sfn|Chaplin|p=287}}}} Chaplin was interred in the Corsier-sur-Vevey cemetery.{{sfn|Robinson|p=629}} Among the film industry's tributes, director [[René Clair]] wrote, "He was a monument of the cinema, of all countries and all times{{spaces}}... the most beautiful gift the cinema made to us."{{sfn|Robinson|p=631}} Actor [[Bob Hope]] declared, "We were lucky to have lived in his time."{{sfn|Robinson|p=632}} Chaplin left more than $100 million to his widow.<ref name="hattenstone20210621">{{Cite news |last=Hattenstone |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Hattenstone |date=21 June 2021|title='I am very shy. It's amazing I became a movie star': Leslie Caron at 90 on love, art and addiction |newspaper=The Guardian |url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jun/21/i-am-very-shy-its-amazing-i-became-a-movie-star-leslie-caron-at-90-on-love-art-and-addiction |access-date=22 June 2021}}</ref>

On 1 March 1978, Chaplin's coffin was dug up and stolen from its grave by Roman Wardas and Gantcho Ganev. The body was held for [[ransom]] in an attempt to extort money from his widow, Oona Chaplin. The pair were caught in a large police operation in May, and Chaplin's coffin was found buried in a field in the nearby village of [[Noville, Switzerland|Noville]]. It was re-interred in the Corsier cemetery in a reinforced concrete vault.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20507503 |title=Yasser Arafat: 10 Other People Who Have Been Exhumed |date=27 November 2012 |access-date=27 November 2012 |publisher=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127151521/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20507503 |archive-date=27 November 2012}}</ref>{{sfn|Robinson|pp=629–631}}