It had been over 20 years since Charlie Chaplin last adorned his beloved character 'The Tramp.' Although in his later performances, the aspects of the icon are inescapable, A King In New York deliberately brings the slapstick back into an interesting context. He is not a tramp, nor a barber, but a king. A king whose unfortunate attempts at sophistication end up humiliating. It's a clear critique on the buffoonery of authority figures as he obliviously goes out for entertainment in New York while his home country is rioting against him. The lure of celebrity is a temptation to all and Chaplin protests that it's irresponsible for these types of powerful figures to be drawn to it. His last two films, The Great Dictator and Limelight, were two of his best films that were seamlessly able to blend comedy with a message and emotion.
Unfortunately, A King In New York doesn't have the same weight to it emotionally and leads it inevitably into being lesser Chaplin. That said, it's still hilarious, with great satire and slapstick, a highlight being where the king's curiosity gets the better of him and he puts his finger in a fire hose and drags it through the following scenes. Chaplin has always had a talent for getting the best out of a simple joke. It's a shame that he felt the need to have his political point on a soapbox in the form of a young child. It's distracting and feels unnecessary. The film's effect would've been far greater without it being spoken as Chaplin's king was enough to get the message. Although, in finally watching his unpopular films, they have made me realise how he has an unconditional place in my heart as all director, writer and performer.
7/10
Unfortunately, A King In New York doesn't have the same weight to it emotionally and leads it inevitably into being lesser Chaplin. That said, it's still hilarious, with great satire and slapstick, a highlight being where the king's curiosity gets the better of him and he puts his finger in a fire hose and drags it through the following scenes. Chaplin has always had a talent for getting the best out of a simple joke. It's a shame that he felt the need to have his political point on a soapbox in the form of a young child. It's distracting and feels unnecessary. The film's effect would've been far greater without it being spoken as Chaplin's king was enough to get the message. Although, in finally watching his unpopular films, they have made me realise how he has an unconditional place in my heart as all director, writer and performer.
7/10