Though not literally his swan song as a director, in Limelight Charlie Chaplin says his final word on the symbols of his youthful career as a vaudevillian and silent film clown. The faded glory of one last performance, one last moment in the limelight, can never be unvarnished joy, mixed as it is with the memories of the success and acclaim that has passed away. As the literal and metaphorical curtain is about to close on the life of Chaplin’s Calvero the Clown, he has a kind of resurrection in first saving the life, and then the career of a young, beautiful dancer. But this renaissance will not last, as Calvero has not only grown old, his act has become old hat. For an artist, seeing this clearly may mean recognizing that the greatest legacy of your life’s work may not be lasting public admiration, but the love of someone close to you. – Joshua Wilson
- Directed by: Charles Chaplin
- Produced by:
- Written by: Charles Chaplin
- Music by:
- Cinematography by:
- Editing by:
- Release Date: 1952
- Running Time: 137
- Language: English
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