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Monsieur Verdoux
Original U.S. Poster
Directed by	Charles Chaplin
Produced by	Charles Chaplin
Written by	Orson Welles (idea) Charles Chaplin
Starring	Charles Chaplin
Music by	Charles Chaplin
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	April 11, 1947
Running time	104 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Monsieur Verdoux is a film directed by Charlie Chaplin that debuted in 1947.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 3 Reception 4 References 5 External links

The film is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then kills them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine. The film ends as Verdoux is being led to the guillotine in the prison courtyard after defending his actions as no worse than those carried out every day by businessmen and soldiers.

The script for this film, originally written by Orson Welles, was inspired by the case of serial killer Henri Désiré Landru. Welles sought to direct the film with Chaplin as star, but Chaplin backed out at the last minute, citing that he'd never been directed before and wasn't willing to start. Instead, Chaplin bought the script from Welles and rewrote parts of it, crediting Welles only with the idea. The film's premise is that "murder is the logical extension of capitalism"; the lead character kills to make money, he is hence not (in his eyes) a murderer.

Another story suggests that although the script had yet to be written, Welles wanted Chaplin to play the lead role. Chaplin, deciding that he didn't want to have to write the script with Welles, opted out. (Chaplin said something to the effect of "if it is written yet then I'm not interested.") Moreover, Welles insisted on receiving a screen credit for the story idea for "Verdoux," if he so chose, after seeing the film. (Needless to say, he chose a credit.)

Since the film is a talking picture, there is some comedy in the dialogue as well as some physical comedy. Chaplin tended to work with a repertory company of actors who performed exclusively in Chaplin's films. Monsieur Verdoux, atypically for a Chaplin film, features some familiar Hollywood actors, including Martha Raye, William Frawley and Fritz Leiber, Sr.. Rumors have persisted that Chaplin's 1915-1923 leading lady Edna Purviance has a cameo appearance in the film. Chaplin biographer David Robinson wrote that Purviance did return briefly to the Chaplin Studios and prepared for a small role in the film, but that she did in fact not go before the cameras.

The film does not feature Chaplin's famous "Tramp" character, and was poorly received in America when it first premiered. It was more successful in Europe. The film and its dark themes were ill-suited to the American political and cultural climate of the time, and Chaplin's popularity and public image had been irrevocably damaged by multiple scandals and political controversies prior to its release.^[1] Chaplin was subjected to unusually hostile treatment by the press while promoting the opening of the film, and some boycotts took place during its short run. It has since gained enough of a following to be considered a cult film; Chaplin fans are divided over its quality. Its dark humour, so strikingly different from Chaplin's usual sentimentality, is perhaps better appreciated today.

Despite its poor critical and commercial performance, the film was nominated for the 1948 Oscar for 'Best Writing, Original Screenplay'.

1. ^ Peary, Danny (1988). Cult Movies 3. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., Pages 136-140. ISBN 0-671-64810-1. 

• Monsieur Verdoux at the Internet Movie Database