Monsieur Verdoux
by Charles Chaplin
List Price:
Our Price: $6.40
You Save: $18.58 (74%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.37 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Allison Roddan, Audrey Betz, Charles Chaplin, Mady Correll, Robert LewisDirector: Charles Chaplin
Brand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Charles Chaplin
Writer: Charles Chaplin
Cinematographer: Curt Courant
Cinematographer: Roland Totheroh
Editor: Willard Nico
Writer: Orson Welles
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Georgian (Subtitled); Chinese (Subtitled); Thai (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 124 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-03-02
Audience Rating: Unrated
Model: 37652
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- Charles Chaplin turns his traditionally sunny sensibilities inside out with this sublime black comedy about a family man who secretly uses murder to support his beloved invalid wife and child. There's little of the immortal Tramp in Verdoux, yet the fastidious dandy is not lacking in comic graces. Most hilarious of all are the always-foiled attempts to dispatch the raucous Annabella (Martha Raye).
Movie Reviews of Monsieur Verdoux
Movie Review: One of Chaplin's highest achievements.
Summary: 5 Stars
If the willingness to take risks is the mark of a great artist -- and I believe it is -- then Monsieur Verdoux is one of Charles Chaplin's greatest films. And amidst all the controversy stirred by his portrayal of a serial wife killer, it's easy to forget that it's also a hilarious black comedy with plenty of sharp lines that would have succeeded even without its sociological message.
Chaplin's ability as an actor is pushed to a new level on this film through his portrayal of a morally ambiguous, unscrupulous ex-bank clerk who has no qualms about putting a body into an incinerator in his backyard. While much has been said about this film's break with Chaplin's Little Tramp character, careful examination reveals that Henri Verdoux is just a logical, and daring, advancement in the character: The more devilish, sometimes sadistic sides of the Little Tramp taken to their inevitable conclusion, where comic mischief crosses over the line to villainy. And it's highly compelling, the perfect foil to Chaplin's most heartwarming films (eg. City Lights and Modern Times), allowing Chaplin to express an insidiousness hitherto unexplored. Martha Raye nearly steals the show as the airheaded, supernaturally unkillable Mme. Bonheur (the name itself means "happiness"), and Marilyn Nash is winning as the Belgian derelict who inspires a spark of compassion in Verdoux. The conclusion of this character relationship is one of Chaplin's most complex writing feats: Imagine the ending of City Lights twisted into a dark, steely, uncompromising version of itself.
There are certain moments when the film does threaten to fall into self-involvement -- in his later years, Chaplin did let his ego take ahold of his work -- but in the case of Monsieur Verdoux, he uses this larger-than-life persona so well, and it fits the character so snugly, that the ego becomes an advantage and adds to the depth of the character. And the script has none of the self-conscious mix of silent film and talkies that plagued The Great Dictator; Chaplin had grown quite well into dialogue writing, allowing him to formulate moments of murderous irony that are cuttingly funny. ("Don't pull the cat's tail...") I have no problems with the ending speeches in this film as I did with the final speech of The Great Dictator: In the context of this story, they fit in quite well. Verdoux at the end is a man who has given up all hope, and he seems to mock his own fate and character while unmercifully unveiling his anger at the world. The speeches are not meant to be taken for face value, and I find them thought-provoking and fascinating rather than moralistic or self-important.
I first saw this film at Symphony Space in New York City and the audience was laughing so hard it was in tears. With modern audiences generally less inclined to judge a film by its "moral standing" (Kill Bill, anyone?), Monsieur Verdoux can be seen for what it is: A hilarious, complex sociological examination which identifies social ills while at the same time taking part in it. In that, it is unique in the Chaplin canon and deserves to rank among his most important films.
A quick note about this DVD edition: For some reason, the bonus materials for this film are far less numerous than on the other DVDs in this series -- hence the single-disc package and lower price. By the standards of this series of reissues, the DVD materials are really quite scant -- a useful yet brief half-hour documentary featuring good insight from director Claude Chabrol, a trailer, some storyboards. The picture and sound are of good quality, however, and the film is one to own. Highly recommended.
Summary of Monsieur Verdoux
Charles Chaplin turns his traditionally sunny sensibilities inside out with this sublime black comedy about a family man who secretly uses murder to support his beloved invalid wife and child. There's little of the immortal Tramp in Verdoux yet the fastidious dandy is not lacking in comic graces. Most hilarious of all are the always-foiled attempts to dispatch the raucous Annabella (Martha Raye). When this most atypical Chaplin film opened the world was not ready to look death in the face and walk away smiling. Today Monsieur Verdoux ranks among Chaplin's best works. It is killer comedy.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 085393765224Similar DVD Movies
City Lights: The Chaplin Collection (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2004-03-02; DVD
Best price: $72.98
The Gold Rush (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner; Release date: 2003-07-01; DVD
Best price: $88.97
Unknown Chaplin: The Master at WorkA&E; Release date: 2005-11-29; DVD
Best price: $12.39
Price in other shops:
Chaplin (15th Anniversary Edition)DOWNEY,ROBERT JR.; Release date: 2008-10-14; DVD
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
The Chaplin Revue (2 Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2004-03-02; DVD
Best price: $7.20
Price in other shops:
The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection)IMG; Release date: 2011-05-24; DVD
Best price: $19.01
Price in other shops:
A King in New York / A Woman of Paris (2 Disc Special Edition)CHAPLIN,CHARLES; Release date: 2004-03-02; DVD
Best price: $4.78
Price in other shops:
Modern Times (The Criterion Collection)Image Entertainment; Release date: 2010-11-16; DVD
Best price: $21.18
Price in other shops:
Limelight (Two-Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2003-07-01; DVD
Best price: $49.98
The Circus (Two Disc Special Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2004-03-02; DVD
Best price: $10.18
Price in other shops: