Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30
The Moving Picture Album
BY ROBERT e. SHERWOOD.

| CHARLIE CHAPLIN is securely
~ locked in the public stocks, and
| the world at large is standing around.
watching his worried face. and won
! dering whether to sympathZe with
| him or to shower him with calumny.
| 1t is a crucial moment for the great
| clown. His not inconsiderable for
tune is menaced; his own lawyers,
| his wifes lawyers, his wife's family
and various others are preparing to
divide a large portion of the millions
| that have been garnered from "A
| Dogs Life" Shoulder Arms" and
The Kid
Whatever happens, the Chaplin
| bankroll is certain to take A severe
| licking. That. however. may he
counted as the least of Charlie s
| worries.
The new lines that are appearing
in his sad face, the additional streaks
of gray in his poetic couture, the
haunting visions that interfere with
his slumhers-al these are attributed
to the thought that he may lose far
more in prestige than he could ever
! lose in money.
It is the future that must worry
Charlie Chaplin. The present pre-
dcament is sufficiently embarra ssing
annoying Irritating. and all that. But
what of tomorrow?
When and IL the divorce is finally
effected, the last of the lawyers paid
and the question of alimony and Gus.
tody Of the children finally settled -
when these temporarily troublesome
details have been cleared up, Just
where will Chaplin stand in the eyes
; of the world?
VIII he he able to go on with his
career? VIII further Chaplin come
dies be welcomed and supported by
the public?
Or will this amazing little man he
| thrust into obscurity? win he join
Fatty Arbuckle. Mary Miles Minter
and others in the realm of forgotten
idols?
In, short. is Charles Spencer Chap.
lin strong enough to survive this
present scandal?
No authoritative answer to these
questions can possibly be given at
the present moment.
Charles problems can be settled
| only by that supremest OF all SUI
preme courts. which Is called Time.
The wearer of the battered derby
has been in trouble before serious
trouble, He who has earned the title
of genius" has justified II by dis
playing a genuine genius for involv-
ing himself In one ridiculous scrape
after another.
He has always pulled through how.
ever. Just when things have looked
blacklist for him he has issued
another comedy--and the universal
roars of laughter which followed were
| sufficient to subdue the ugly murmur-
ings of Dame Rumor
Charlie has a new picture on tap
| now 1t is called THE Circus" and
| if 1t is worthy of the Chaplin ira =
| dition, 1t should be able to settle
this nasty business more effectuallv
than could all the attorneys, with all
| the summonses, attachments and in
| functions In creation.
*
Personally, I sincerely hope that
| this will prove to be the case.
However reprehensible his home
| life may appear to the headline read.
ers, he is much too big a figure In
the world to be knocked out by
bevy of acquisitive attorneys.
The only Chaplin that is of any
real importance to the public is the
Chaplin that appears on the screen
That Chaplin Is an extraordinarily
beautiful character. 1t is character
in whom are concentrated the eternal
truths of humanity. We speak of the
soul as something mysterious
something that we believe in but
can't see. 1t seems to me that Charlie
Chaplain gives us, on the screen, a
recognizable embodiment of the hui.
man soul.
All this has been said before, in the
lnnumerable appropriations of Chap.
Inns art that have been written bv
various distinguished authors: but 1t
cannot be said too often, especially at
the present time
The public is always 80 eager to
forget the virtues OF the artist and
concentrate on the shortcomings of
the man.
However justifiable the claims of
Mrs. Chaplin may be land she has
made plenty of them), neither she nor
| her talented Ia aoN ln~,, a.