Charlie Chaplin (1951)

cc 86 respect. More time was spent on each picture. Scenes were worked at till they were perfected. There was constant experimenting. The Chaplin screen character becomes gentler; the supporting characters are less caricatured; settings and action are more realistic. For various reasons the eight films of the First National Series took five years to make. They include some of Chaplin's greatest and most popular works along with some failures. Only three, "A Dog's Life," "Shoulder Arms," and "Sunnyside," were filmed in the first eighteen months. The First Nationals were made with virtually the same company he had assembled for the Mutuals. Sid Chaplin appeared in several; and, among other additions, was "Chuck" Riesner, arrived from vaudeville to serve both as actor and associate director. Soon after America entered the war, thousands of letters poured into the studio demanding that Chaplin enlist. A considerable number came from England, for he was still a British subject. Reflecting the war hysteria many were abusive and threatening. White feathers were enclosed in some of the envelopes from abroad. An examination establishing that Chaplin did not meet the army's physical requirements (he is five feet four and then weighed 130 pounds), was not sufficient to counteract the hysteria. As late as 1921, when he visited England, it was still simmering. Responsible notables, including a minister, pointed out Chaplin's value in sustaining morale. Had he done military services an Allied army would have gained an indifferent soldier but would have lost an invaluable morale booster. His films cheered many millions on both the battle and the home fronts. Undoubtedly, the envy inevitably incited by fame and money partly accounted for the persistent attacks. After completing his first film for the new company, Chaplin put in two months touring for the Third Liberty Loan. With him were Douglas Fairbanks and Mary