The Kid 1921 1922 next previous
Photoplay, New York, April 1920.
The Kid Scenes
„Come back, Charlie!“
Editorial content. „A Letter to a Genius
Charles Spencer Chaplin: –
It is a daring thing to call any man a genius, for that word
is a tremendous description, almost always absurdly
applied. But we will venture to call you a genius, for your
performances are unique and your renown has
girdled the world in an inflammable band embroidered with
sprocket-holes.
Yet, we must call you a genius-on-vacation. And
we must add that it is time your vacation were over. How many
people are wishing that now!
We haven‘t really seen you since ,Shoulder Arms.‘
,Sunnyside‘ was anything but sunny. ,A Day‘s Pleasure‘ certainly
was not pleasure.
Perhaps your contract is irksome – you may think
it unfair. Perhaps your remuneration seems very
little as an emolument to your illustrious talents and
a recompense for those diamonds, your
working hours.
But you didn‘t think that agreement unfair when you made
it, not so long ago. To most of us, who have to grub
and grind for what is a pittance to you, it seemed a very
wonderful thing. But that is not for us to decide –
pardon!
What is plain to anyone is the manly alternative in such
a case. Be quit of your self-made fetters by honest,
sportsmanlike effort. If your present ties are shackles, break
them with your best blows – these weak one are not
only unavailing, but these half-laughs you have created recently
hurt no one half so much as they hurt your truest friend,
The Public. And the half-laughs must hurt you also.
Charlie! – we have no part in your quarrels; we have no will
to meddle in your business. But all of us, from North,
East, West and South, from as many sides of the water
as there may be, are imploring, because we are
doleful and bewildered in a bewildered and doleful world.
Give us again those magic hours of philosophic
forgetfulness, that you once set out so charitably, like beacons
of a kindly neighbor.
We are not commanding nor advising nor even criticizing;
we speak because we need you – because you made
this turbulent God‘s marble a better thing to live on – because
since you have been out of sorts the world has gone
lame and happiness has moved away. Come back, Charlie!“
Redaktioneller Inhalt
The Kid 1921 1922 next previous
