TheLittleSongbird Am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin, have been for over a decade now. Many films and shorts of his are very good to masterpiece, and like many others consider him a comedy genius and one of film's most important and influential directors. It is hard to not expect a lot after not long before Chaplin had one of his earliest career highs in 'The Kid'. 'A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate' doesn't disappoint, and it shows Chaplin having properly found his style and fully settled. As said with many of his post-Keystone efforts, it shows a noticeable step up in quality though from his Keystone period, where he was still evolving and in the infancy of his long career. The Essanay and Mutual periods were something of Chaplin's adolescence period where his style had been found and starting to settle. After Mutual the style had properly settled and the cinematic genius emerged. Very much apparent here in 'A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate', which may not be one of Chaplin's best but it is to me one of his most under-appreciated.It is let down by the melodramatic ending that comes over too as silly and an interpolated music score composed not long before Chaplin's death that is intrusive and doesn't fit the film. On the other hand, 'A Woman of Fate: A Drama of Fate' looks great, from Essanay onwards, and it is certainly the case here, it was obvious that Chaplin was taking more time with his work and not churning out countless shorts in the same year of very variable success like he did with Keystone. It's actually one of his technically best-looking efforts from this period.'A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate' is also funny and very charming, never coming over as dull and never being too over-sentimental. It features some of Chaplin's most remarkable directing of any effort of his up to this point in his career. He similarly gets the best out of his cast, with the standouts being the ever charming and quite touching Edna Purviance and especially a superb Adolphe Menjou in a star-making turn. Concluding, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox

lugonian A WOMAN OF PARIS (United Artists, 1923), subtitled "A Drama of Fate," happens to be written and directed by Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin, famed for his Little Tramp character in both silent shorts and features, assumes a difficult task of directing a serious drama and not starring in it. It's not the sort of movie anyone would expect from this comical genius. To assure his movie going public of what they are about to see, Chaplin presents this statement flashed in screen during the title credits: "In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I wish to announce that I do not appear in this picture. It is the first serious drama written and directed by myself." Signed Charlie Chaplin. Rather than appearing in it, Chaplin chose his most frequent co-star since 1915, Edna Purviance, as its title character. Other than Henry Bergman, another member of the Chaplin stock company, no character types from Chaplin's past comedies appear in this production.The opening prologue begins in "a small village - somewhere in France." Marie St. Clair (Edna Purviance), upstairs in her bedroom, is about to meet Jean Millet (Carl Miller), the man she loves, to discuss their marriage plans. Her father (Clarence Geldert - billed as her stepfather though the girl is addressed as her daughter in this photo-play) takes the key and locks her in. With the window being her only means of getting out, Marie climbs out and is escorted down by Jean, who happens to be awaiting her outside. Observed by her father, he enters her bedroom closing the window, going downstairs to bold the doors. Upon their return, Marie finds herself locked out with her father refusing to let her back in. Jean takes Marie to his home where she, too, is most unwelcome by Jean's father (Charles K. French). In spite of his understanding mother's (Lydia Knott) pleas, Jean takes Marie to the train station where she is to buy tickets to Paris. In the meantime, Jean returns home to pack his belongings, only to find his father dead seated on the sofa by the fireplace. Marie telephones Jean to find out what's delaying him. She is told they must postpone everything for now. Feeling neglected, Marie heads for Paris alone. A year passes. Marie, now a woman of Paris, is also mistress to Pierre Revel (Adolphe Menjou), the richest man bachelor in Paris described as a "gentleman of leisure whose whims have made and ruined many a woman's career." Marie is also best friends with the vivacious Fifi (Betty Morrissey) and Paulette (Malvinna Polo). Later, while heading for a party given by Fifi, Marie loses her way. She knocks on the door to ask for directions only to find the tenant to be Jean, now an accomplished artist living with his widowed mother. In spite of her engagement to marry Pierre, Marie wants nothing more than to be with Jean again, but Mother Millet will stop at nothing to keep her son from becoming involved with this now notorious woman of Paris again.Though reportedly a commercial flop upon its release, this stylish silent melodrama might have proved successful had it been directed by Ernst Lubitsch or Josef Von Sternberg and featuring such popular names as Gloria Swanson or Norma Talmadge in the leads. Unseen for many decades, A WOMAN OF PARIS, as composed and scored by Charlie Chaplin himself, began to surface again around the 1970s, first in revival movie houses (such as New York City's Regency Theater in the 1980s) before distribution to home video in 1989 (accompanied by Chaplin 1919 comedy short, SUNNYSIDE), and years later on DVD. Other than Chaplin's unrecognizable cameo as a train station porter (lasting only a few seconds), A WOMAN OF PARIS very much belongs to Edna Purviance. Though she never developed herself into a popular dramatic actress, but known only as Chaplin's frequent co-star, Purviance simply drifted to obscurity following this film's release. Her co-star, Carl Miller, is also forgotten, even among film historians. Yet, the only performer to have benefited from appearing in A WOMAN OF PARIS was said to be Adolphe Menjou, best known mostly for his accomplishments in sound movies during the 1930s, 40s and beyond. And lets not overlook Lydia Knott as Miller's mother, who gives a worthy performance as well. Regardless of its past reputation, A WOMAN OF PARIS, at 83 minutes, has gained the recognition it deserves. Even without Chaplin in the cast, it's often part of the Chaplin filmography, even with Chaplin tributes on cable television, most notably on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 18, 2004). Not exactly Chaplin's greatest in regards to serious acting but his finest achievement, thus far, as an accomplished movie director. (***)

FerdinandVonGalitzien From the very start of the film "A Woman Of Paris" (1923), director, Herr Charles Chaplin, warns the audience by telling viewers that this is not a usual Herr Chaplin silent production (...probably in order to avoid misunderstandings and possible unreasonable conflicts from the audience later demanding their money back. Some revolutions have started in this way merely from commoners demanding such trifle things as a raise of their salaries or better conditions at their work… ) More precisely, in this film the tramp doesn't appear; instead viewers are going to watch a silent and sophisticated "serious" drama.And certainly after so many years since its prémiere, "A Woman Of Paris" continues to be an unusual Herr Chaplin film. It's a very remarkable oeuvre that probably will astonish the new generation for its singularity, honesty and boldness.There are two aspects that made "A Woman Of Paris" a special and remarkable silent film for this Herr Graf.The first one is the audacity in showing Herr Chaplin in the story of a mistress in the merry Paris of the 20's, a woman who enjoy freely a luxurious life thanks to the money and the excellent social position of her "protégée".In the film there is not a trace of false moral, hypocrisy or judgement. Frau Marie St. Clair ( Frau Edna Purviance ) knows perfectly where she is and how she lives and her particular condition and the advantages and inconveniences that she has for living in that way. When her protégée Herr Pierre Revel ( Herr Adolphe Menjou ) announce his marriage with a rich bourgeois fraulein, she consequently accepts the facts. After all, the three can continue with such a particular open-minded relationship if they want it and with Frau St. Clair as "the other" (obviously) without remorse and not overscrupulous.It will be only change when Frau St. Clair accidentally meets again her old fiancée Herr Jean Millet ( Herr Carl Miller ). Herr Millet, now a humble painter, lives with his old mother in a modest apartment. Conscience begins to prick her with awareness of her particular life and the possibility of changing an easy and cosy life of luxury for a common one with a man that truly loves her. However, that's finally a transitional state of mind, choosing, as Frau St. Clair does (and after some troubles with her old fiancée) the Paris joyous life.As this Herr Graf mentioned before, the way Herr Chaplin depicts Frau St. Clair having a clear conscience of her particular way of life is admirable nowadays. Few films of that time displayed such liberal, adult and honest relationships although they were a common issue in Paris not to mention in Berlin… The second remarkable aspect of "A Woman Of Paris" for this Herr Graf are the feminine characters of the picture. They are curious portraits of womanhood... powerful, varied and free minded. Women of Paris act and indistinctly do whatever they want, toying with men if necessary for their own interest ( Frau St. Clair's friends ), influential, over-protective and castrating ( Herr Millet's mother ) or, as always, making their own and fundamental decisions. Frau St. Clair does all of this and shows that women rule the world, as happened since the dawn of mankind, by the way… "A Woman Of Paris" has some of those slight sentimental Herr Chaplin touches that don't harm the film at all. One happens in the beginning of the film depicting the sorrowful and humble life of Frau St. Clair in her small town (while at the same time suffering the tyranny of her stepfather). Another is her frustrating trip to Paris that she finally must to do ...or another...alone when her fiancée's father death comes suddenly. The atonement at the film's end, probably the only Herr Chaplin renouncement for the sake of a moral and standard ending that after all and in spite of this, is balanced with a beautiful and at the same time bitter end.This Herr Graf wants also to remark on the actors included in the film: especially the superb Herr Adolphe Menjou, elegant, cynic, sophisticated and charming as always and Frau Edna Purviance - inexpressive and nonchalant as a German old rich spinster. And who can forget the merry Paris flappers of the film madly enjoying the pleasures of Paris of the 20's? "A Woman Of Paris" is certainly an unusual Herr Chaplin film and certainly one of the better ones of his silent period which depicts an open-minded story in where adult human beings live their lives by accordingly deciding what it is the best for themselves without false moral attachments or social conventionalisms.And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count has an appointment with a woman of Leipzig.

ackstasis The second film in my somewhat unusual Charles Chaplin double feature (after the delightfully black 'Monsieur Verdoux (1947)'), 'A Woman of Paris' is perhaps the silent comedy master's least mentioned film, perhaps partly due to it not actually being a comedy, or because Chaplin himself appears only in a very brief cameo role. His first and, I'll venture, his only strictly dramatic feature, the film traces the romantic dilemma of a young French woman living in Paris. It was Chaplin's first film with United Artists – which he had founded in 1919 with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith. Originally entitled 'Public Opinion' and then 'Destiny,' Chaplin considered a dozen more titles before he finally settled on a name.Marie St. Clair (Edna Purviance) and her romance Jean Millet (Clarence Geldart), an aspiring artist, residents of a small French village, have plans to move to Paris and get married. However, unfortunate circumstances delay their plans, and Marie impulsively boards the train without Jean. A year or so later, Marie has assimilated into the upper-class lifestyle of Paris, having become the mistress of a wealthy, cynical businessman, Pierre Revel (Adolphe Menjou). It is then that she and Jean suddenly meet again. Though there are undoubtedly still feelings between them, Marie must decide whether she can sacrifice all of Pierre's luxuries to pursue the man that she loves.Written, produced and directed by Chaplin, 'A Woman of Paris' is a tightly-paced drama/romance, employing a lot of dialogue (somewhat unusual for Chaplin, who usually relied on extended slapstick comedic set pieces to drive his silent films) and a three-way relationship that has since become commonplace in films of this sort. The film allowed Chaplin to extend his skills beyond the realm of the lovable little Tramp. Unfortunately, this seemingly was not what audiences wanted. Perhaps perceived as a harmful satire of the American way of life, 'A Woman of Paris' was banned in several US states on the grounds of immorality, and it was a commercial flop. Chaplin had conceived the film as a means of launching the individual acting career of Edna Purviance, though this bid was unsuccessful. It did, however, make an international star of Adolphe Menjou.Many critics, despite the poor box office performance, praised the film's startling realism. Notably, director Michael Powell ('Black Narcissus,' 'Peeping Tom') cited 'A Woman of Paris' as his greatest inspiration to become a filmmaker. In 1976, a frail Charles Chaplin – just one year before his death – reissued the edited film with a new musical score he had composed, aided by music arranger Eric James. A criminally underrated silent classic, 'A Woman of Paris' is yet another testament to Chaplin's undeniable cinematic genius.