MONSIEUR VERDOUX, arguably one of Chaplin’s best films, traces the life of the title character (played by Chaplin himself) as he marries rich widows during the depression era only to murder them one by one in order to support his invalid wife (Mady Correll) and son (Allison Roddan).  He travels across the various cities of France, succeeding until his normal routine is broken both by his latest wife (Martha Raye) and the stock market crash.  A black comedy at heart, the film also skillfully blends in other human elements as survival, love and reasoning.

MONSIEUR VERDOUX does away with Chaplin’s famous tramp character.  The only instance when Chaplin retains bits of it is in the boat scene where he grabs both knees with his hands swinging his legs together.  His comedy in the film is broader, combining slapstick (falling backwards through a window; capsizing a boat), word play, everyday situations and comedic set-ups.  The funniest segment involves one set-up during his new wedding where one of his wives, Annabella unexpectedly shows up.  Some of these are so brilliant that many are used time and again in recent films.  For example, the boat montage with Verdoux unsuccessfully attempting to drown Annabella is mimicked in Woody Allen’s SCOOP.

No doubt Chaplin is a genius with many talents.  This is obvious in the film’s most moving scene where Verdoux pushes his invalid wife in a wheelchair to the music which he himself composed.  The lighting is almost perfect, the little light reflecting the side of the killer the audience is just able to notice.

MONSIEUR VERDOUX and LIMELIGHT mark Chaplin’s two most moving films.  As in LIMELIGHT, Chaplin touches the topic of ageing.  Verdoux is no younger as he preys on older women.  Chaplin’s spill on love, which he describes in the film as something very rare those days, can only be remembered as coming from the words of a great Master of dialogue.  Like the flowers (lauded by one character as beautiful) that Verdoux describes exist only to be given away and thus appreciated, Chaplin is able to astound and move the audience in the same way Verdoux woos and sweet talks the rich widows.  Only once does Chaplin go overboard praising himself through a character saying that his faculties of observation are remarkable.

MONSIEUR VERDOUX is a prime example of an excellent film that got a poor reception when it first opened in the U.S.  The reason was attributed to the public not ready for such a dark critical comedy (or biting social satire) right after World War II.  But MONSIEUR VERDOUX remains as one of the most original old movies of all time.