IMDb > Limelight (1952)
Limelight
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Limelight (1952) More at IMDbPro »

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   5,110 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Charles Chaplin
Writers:
Charles Chaplin (story)
Charles Chaplin (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Limelight on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 1952 (Argentina) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance more
Plot:
A fading comedian and a suicidally despondent ballet dancer must look to each other to find meaning and hope in their lives. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Actor Sydney Chaplin, Son Of Charles Chaplin, Dead At Age 82
 (From CinemaRetro. 9 March 2009, 3:39 PM, PDT)
Chaplin's Son Dead
 (From WENN. 5 March 2009, 5:35 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Chaplin's Best Talkie. 9/10 more (64 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Charles Chaplin ... Calvero
Claire Bloom ... Terry, a Dancer
Nigel Bruce ... Postant, an Impresario

Buster Keaton ... Calvero's Partner
Sydney Chaplin ... Neville
Norman Lloyd ... Bodalink
Andre Eglevsky ... Dancer
Melissa Hayden ... Dancer
Marjorie Bennett ... Mrs. Alsop
Wheeler Dryden ... Thereza's Doctor
Barry Bernard ... John Redfern
Stapleton Kent ... Claudius
Mollie Glessing ... Maid
Leonard Mudie ... Dr. Blake (as Leonard Mudi)
Loyal Underwood ... Street Musician
'Snub' Pollard ... Street Musician (as Snub Pollard)
Julian Ludwig ... Street Musician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Dean ... (scenes deleted)
Doris Lloyd ... Terry's Mother (scenes deleted)
Trevor Ward ... (scenes deleted)
Geraldine Chaplin ... Little Girl in Opening Scene (uncredited)
Josephine Chaplin ... Child in Opening Scene (uncredited)
Charles Chaplin Jr. ... Clown (uncredited)
Michael Chaplin ... Child in Opening Scene (uncredited)
Oona Chaplin ... Extra (uncredited)
Harry Crocker ... Music Hall Patron (uncredited)
Billy Curtis ... Midget in Agent's Office (uncredited)
Jack Deery ... Emissary--Dress Circle (uncredited)
Cyril Delevanti ... Griffin, a Clown (uncredited)
Tim Durant ... Music Hall Patron (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford ... Patrician Lady in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Frank Hagney ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Charlie Hall ... Newsboy (uncredited)
Sam Harris ... Old Fogey in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes ... Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp ... Pub Extra (uncredited)
Colin Kenny ... Music Hall Performer (uncredited)
Judy Landon ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Frank Mills ... Man in Music Hall Audience (uncredited)
Sherry Moreland ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Milicent Patrick ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Edna Purviance ... Mrs. Parker (uncredited)
Charley Rogers ... Man in Saloon (uncredited)
Elizabeth Root ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Gus Taillon ... Derelict (uncredited)
Valerie Vernon ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Eric Wilson ... Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited)
Eric Wilton ... Major Domo at Dinner (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Charles Chaplin 
 
Writing credits
Charles Chaplin (story)

Charles Chaplin (screenplay)

Produced by
Charles Chaplin .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Charles Chaplin 
 
Cinematography by
Karl Struss (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Joe Inge 
 
Art Direction by
Eugène Lourié 
 
Makeup Department
Ted Larsen .... makeup artist
Florence Avery .... hair stylist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Lonnie D'Orsa .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Aldrich .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Dorothea Holt .... illustrator (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Hugh McDowell Jr. .... sound (as Hugh McDowell)
Harold E. McGhan .... sound editor
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Monroe P. Askins Jr. .... second assistant camera (uncredited)
Wallace Chewning .... camera operator (uncredited)
George Hommel .... still photographer (uncredited)
Dick Johnson .... first assistant camera (uncredited)
W. Eugene Smith .... still photographer (uncredited)
Frank Testera .... gaffer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Riley Thorne .... wardrobe designer
Elmer Ellsworth .... wardrobe: men (uncredited)
Drew Tetrick .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Ted Tetrick .... tailor (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Edward Phillips .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Charles Chaplin .... music arranger
Ray Rasch .... music arranger
Keith Williams .... conductor
Larry Russell .... music arranger (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Charles Chaplin .... choreographer
Wheeler Dryden .... assistant: Mr. Chaplin
Andre Eglevsky .... choreographer
Jerome Epstein .... assistant: Mr. Chaplin (as Jerome L. Epstein)
Melissa Hayden .... choreographer
Carmelita Maracci .... corps de ballet
Roland Totheroh .... photographic consultant
Oona Chaplin .... double: Claire Bloom in extreme long-shot (uncredited)
Hal Court .... stand-in (uncredited)
Harry Crocker .... unit publicist (uncredited)
Alfred Lewin .... production accountant (uncredited)
Maurice Marks .... stand-in (uncredited)
Kathleen Pryor .... secretary (uncredited)
Lisl Valetti .... stand-in (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
137 min | USA:141 min (initial release) | UK:147 min (London premiere)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Spain:T | West Germany:12 | Germany:6 (re-rating) | UK:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G (re-rating) | Canada:G (Quebec)
Filming Locations:
RKO-Pathé Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
Company:
Celebrated Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Edna Purviance, Charles Chaplin's favorite co-star from the silent era, makes her final film appearance in a small role. Purviance, who remained close to Chaplin throughout her life, rarely worked in films after the 1920s. Chaplin kept her on his payroll until she died. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: After Terry achieves success, she is shown to tour "the continent", with stops in Paris, Rome, and Russia. The war would have made travel to Russia difficult, if not impossible, and Russia would have been in the midst of the Bolshevik revolution at the time. more
Quotes:
Calvero: That's all any of us are: amateurs. We don't live long enough to be anything else. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Chaplin Today: Monsieur Verdoux (2003) (TV) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
19 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
Chaplin's Best Talkie. 9/10, 1 March 2001
9/10
Author: zetes from Saint Paul, MN

Charlie Chaplin is one of the undisputed masters of the cinema. He was one of the funniest actors of the cinema, and he was also one of the greatest directors. Of course, the films that he is most famous for are his silent comedies, especially The Gold Rush, City Lights, and Modern Times. The latter two were the product of Chaplin's stubborn clinging to the format and conventions of the silent cinema, though everyone else had gone to sound. This stubbornness was certainly sound. His contemporaries such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd lost popularity when they moved to sound. Chaplin's last two silent films were popular and made a lot of money. Audiences may have craved sound, but they craved Chaplin, too, and did not disdain his silence. He was one of the silent artists who thought that they were just achieving the peak of their medium when sound came in. He proved himself right, since City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) are probably his two best films, and both are two of the best films ever made.

Finally, in 1940, Chaplin directed and starred in his first talkie, The Great Dictator. Three more followed, Monsieur Verdoux, then Limelight, then King of New York, which happens to be the only one of these four I have not seen. The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux were both good films in their own way, but perhaps Chaplin's in depth political commentary in these films detracted from them. The type of comedy that you find in his silent films did not mix well with this social commentary. The simple juxtapositions of the worlds of the poor and the rich in City Lights and Modern Times were far more powerful than what his first two talkies had to offer.

Then came Limelight, one of the most bittersweet films ever made. It is not perfect, but it achieves a grand melodramatic beauty that few films have ever even approached. The story is simple: a washed-up, old vaudvillian rescues a young ballet dancer from suicide. He takes care of her until she is healthy again, and even restores her confidence. The story may be simple, but the character dynamics are very complex. As the dancer, Theresa, is recovering, Calvero is not only rebuilding her confidence, but also his own. Theresa, because of his kindness towards her, finally believes she has fallen in love with him, even going so far as proposing marriage to him. Whether she actually loves him or not, and Calvero strongly asserts that she shouldn't and doesn't, these two characters have a constantly evolving relationship that does not end until the credits role. It is utterly fascinating, captivating, and dramatic.

There are a couple of problems, and though they're small, they deserve attention. Perhaps the biggest problem is that Claire Bloom is quite guilty of overacting. Her line delivery is bizarre and overdramatic. This isn't a big deal, since you ought to be keenly aware that the film takes place in the world of melodrama, and is thus exaggerated. Another thing that irked me is Buster Keaton's role. It is little more than a cameo. In fact, his character doesn't even have a name in the credits. This is truly disappointing, seeing that he, although Chaplin may have had the most heart, was the all-around funniest silent comedian.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (64 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Limelight (1952)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
What nationality is Calvero? giona
more than a perfect ten bwpbleak
Favorite Move of All Time timandkeely
I am looking for a song til-angie
A non-spoiler tip for fellow Keaton fans: prognathous
Looking for a recording of the original score.... bwpbleak
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Funny Girl Die Blechtrommel 8½ The Kite Runner The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.