A King in New York (1957)

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (writer)

Release Date:

21 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A recently-deposed European monarch seeks shelter in New York City, where he becomes an accidental television celebrity and is later wrongly accused of being a Communist.

Plot Keywords:

Communist | Television | King | Salesman | Music Score Composed By Director

Cast

Charles Chaplin	...	King Shahdov
Maxine Audley	...	Queen Irene
Jerry Desmonde	...	Prime Minister Voudel
Oliver Johnston	...	Ambassador Jaume
Dawn Addams	...	Ann Kay - TV Specialist
Sid James	...	Johnson - TV Advertiser (as Sidney James)
Joan Ingram	...	Mona Cromwell - Hostess
Michael Chaplin	...	Rupert Macabee
John McLaren	...	Macabee Senior
Phil Brown	...	Headmaster
Harry Green	...	Lawyer
Robert Arden	...	Liftboy
Alan Gifford	...	School Superintendent
Robert Cawdron	...	Ulrich - U.S. Marshal
George Woodbridge	...	Member of Atomic Commission

Runtime:

110 min | Argentina:105 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Spain:T | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G (1972) | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Leicester Square, Soho, London, England, UK

Company:

Charles Chaplin Productions

Trivia:

Filmed at Shepperton Studios.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The TV station repeatedly shown in the movie has the call letters "KPXA." However, being in New York the call letters should begin with a "W" as stations east of the Mississippi River begin the letter "W" and not "K".

Quotes:

[Rupert is haranguing the King]
Rupert Macabee: Monopoly is the menace of free enterprise. As I look back, sixty years ago...
King Shahdov: Where were you sixty years ago?
another schoolboy: He was a glint in his great-grandfather's eye!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Chaplin Today: A King in New York (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Sadness Goes On

The Genius of Chaplin.

A great film that was neglected by the good old US of A when it was released in the late 50's. It was brandished as being to critical of the political atmosphere of the United States at the time. It's funny that Chaplin could manage to offend both Adolf Hitler (The Great Dictator) and the fascist-like/inspired 'anti-communist' movement of the 50's/early 60's U.S.A. There is actually a common link in those two movements (Naziism and the 50-60's 'anti-communist movement in the USA but I won't get into that here). Anyway, it is sad that this film is overlooked as it is one of Chaplin's best and should be looked as one in a career overview of this great filmmaker. Besides him, in the film there really is not any awe-inspiring actor/actress but Chaplin brings out the best in everyone and elevates them from eternal anonymity to something of recognition. His son Michael Chaplin for example is used quite wonderfully in this film. I later bought Michael Chaplin's late teenage memoir 'I Couldn't Smoke the Grass on my Father's Lawn' based on seeing him in this film and him impressing me so. It's too bad he could not develop more as an actor or recording star (he released a single in Britain in the mid-60's). I heartily recommend this film. See it and be open minded. Take a look at the way your country was run 50 years ago and ask yourself have things really changed this day in age when the 'communists' have know been replaced by the 'terrorists'.