Monsieur Verdoux

1947 "A Comedy of Murders."
7.8| 2h4m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 26 September 1947 Released
Producted By: United Artists
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

The film is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then murders them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine.

Genre

Drama, Comedy, Crime

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Director

Charlie Chaplin

Production Companies

United Artists

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Monsieur Verdoux Audience Reviews

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Megamind To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.
Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
mbanak It took me years to settle down, mature, and approach this film with a fresh eye. Those looking for the little fellow to knock about and make them howl with laughter, are approaching this gem from the wrong direction. I know, because that's what *I* have done. After several years of relishing Chaplin's work up through "Modern Times", I found this film, (and The Great Dictator), hard to approach. Decades had to go by, before I could have a screening, which was worthy of its genius. I PROPOSE AN EXPERIMENT: Can movie fans like me round up some new viewers, who know nothing of Chaplin, and get their take on this without the pre-loaded expectations of The Gentleman Tramp? Best bits for me come in all sequences with Martha Raye ("THE MOUTH"), and a profound sequence inside a flower shop, where Verdoux sweet-talks a woman over the telephone. Watch the reaction of the florist listening- in. The scene is sublime and devastating. his first murder is artfully portrayed by letting us watch the outdoors, through a window, across a stairway going up. The bedroom in which the crime occurs is off to the left. Brilliant economy and unforgettable story-telling.
robertguttman Monsieur Verdoux has always been an odd number in the canon of the works of Charles Chaplin. Although many consider it one of the greatest works of perhaps the greatest film maker of all time, it was not a great success when it was first released. For one thing it features Chaplin in a role vastly different from his familiar "Little Tramp" persona. However, I think a more important reason may have been that Monsieur Verdoux was a black comedy that was released shortly after the close of the most destructive war ever fought. The world had just emerged from a great bloodbath and people were eager to forget and get on with living, and here was the world's greatest comedian coming out with a comedy about a sympathetic serial killer.I therefore think that the reason Monsieur Verdoux was not a success was simply because, even though the story was clearly set in the pre-war era, it made post-war audiences feel uneasy about themselves and the world in which they lived. Perhaps it made audiences of the day ask too many questions about the world and about themselves. In any case, the film is undoubtedly far more highly appreciated today than it was in the late 1940s. It is undoubtedly among the greatest of Chaplin's films, and makes especially good use of the considerable comedic talents of Martha Raye. If there is a fault to be found with Monsieur Verdoux it is with Chaplin's choice of Marilyn Nash to play "The Girl". Clearly the character was meant to be very important to the story since her brief appearance exerts a great influence over Verdoux. However, Nash was clearly an actress who had little to offer, and her performance in what should have been an important film debut falls flat. Chaplin discovered and showcased a number of talented young actresses in his films who went on to achieve great things, such as Paulette Goddard and Claire Bloom, but Marilyn Nash clearly did not have what it took to be one of those.
SnoopyStyle Henri Verdoux (Charles Chaplin) is a prim and proper man who kills for a living. He seduces middle age women, steals their money, kills them, and dispose of their bodies. To him it's just a way of living. He invests his money in the stock market and support his wife and son in their country home. Even in the end, he sees nothing wrong with his killings. "Wars, conflict - it's all business. One murder makes a villain; millions, a hero. Numbers sanctify, my good fellow!" This is very much about Charlie Chaplin's performance and the character. One of my favorite show is Dexter. The difference between the two is that Dexter struggles whereas Verdoux does not. Verdoux is as amoral as they come. It doesn't make for a compelling watch. Chaplin tries to inject a lot of humor in this character by portraying lot of odd behaviors and funny errors. It's cute but none of it made me laugh.Overall I do commend Chaplin for pushing the envelope by creating an unique character. It makes up for the slow pace and unfunny jokes.
gudpaljoey-677-715384 I saw this film as a child and found it amusing. I watched it last night on TCM, and was happy that I was no longer a child. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this picture seems to condemn the traditional moral structure of our civilization. It justifies the murder of innocent women by a spurious comparison with the murder of innocent people that result in war between states. Gulp. The makers of this film are positing the idea that everybody's doing it so it must be alright. Everyone has a right to amorality or even immorality, but they shouldn't expect murder of any sort to be acceptable behavior that should go unpunished by society.