Monsieur Verdoux

Released in 1947, Monsieur Verdoux cast Charlie Chaplin in a completely different light. It was his first feature that totally removed the Little Tramp, and instead had Chaplin playing a suave bluebeard--a man who married and murdered women for their money.

The film has complicated origins. Orson Welles had the idea of making a film about a real bluebeard called Landu, and thought of having Chaplin play the lead. Perhaps because he didn't want to work for another director, Chaplin bought the idea from a cashed-strapped Welles, but did give him a "based on an idea" credit.

By the time the film was released, Chaplin was pretty much persona non grata in the U.S., suspected of being a communist sympathizer and many called for his deportation. The film itself is an uneasy mixture of comedy and menace--the original title was A Comedy Of Murders--and while it is interesting historically I can't call it all that entertaining.

Chaplin plays the title character, who for years was a bank teller but lost his job in the depression. He has hit upon a business, as he calls it, of marrying older woman and then absconding with their money, usually after killing them. He has a real wife and child at home whom he loves--she's in a wheelchair--but must travel all over the country, using various aliases.

The film does have comedic moments, mostly involving Martha Raye as one of his wives (she thinks he's a ship's captain). She is surely representing the vulgar American, with her hooting laugh and de classe accoutrements. She is rich because she won the lottery, so is nouveau riche, and barely tolerable among the upper crust. Chaplin can't abide to be in her presence, but his attempts to kill her fail. First he tries to poison her, but the old glass switching routine comes in to play (the maid ends up using the poison to color her hair, causing it come out in clumps). Then, as in Therese Raquin, he takes her out in a boat, but ends up in the drink himself. Finally, at a wedding to another woman, she shows up a guest, and he must do anything to avoid her seeing him.

Underlying the comedy in the film is a kind of nihilism, perhaps reflecting the existence of the bomb and the devastation of World War II. Verdoux rationalizes that compared with the slaughter of innocents, he's small potatoes. He also spurns god, as when he is caught and sentenced to the guillotine, he is indifferent to the ministrations of the priest. The Hollywood production code had a field day with objections.

Still, the film has its moments. Chaplin uses some of his physical humor--I couldn't help but laugh when he moistens his fingers and counts paper money with ferocity--but I'm not sure the two modes ever mesh--is it a comedy or tragedy? Some films do work as both, but Monsieur Verdoux never quite does.