Always a rather hot button topic amongst those who call themselves cinephiles. There are rabid Keatonites and veracious Chaplin disciples both. In Bertolucci's 2003 film The Dreamers (one of the ten best films of the last decade incidentally) American Matthew, played by Michael Pitt, and Frenchman Théo, played by Louis Garrel, come to near blows over who was funnier, Chaplin or Keaton. I tend to take Matthew's side in the argument and favour Chaplin over his so-called arch-rival. True, Keaton was straight-out funnier - his gags were the best of the silent age - but Chaplin was the better overall filmmaker - able to make you laugh and cry simultaneously. But then this is just my (not-so-humble) opinion on the subject. What we are here to do is to announce who you, the adoring public, think the best, the greatest, the funniest, the koo-koo-kookiest of them all. We are here to announce the winner of Battle Royale #5: Battle of then Silent Clowns - and with very little surprise it was the tightest of races from beginning to end. But, as in all things competitive, there must be a victor, and that victor is Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin. With a final tally of 20 to 18 (or 52% to 48% for the statistically-minded amongst us) The Little Tramp did sneak past The Great Stone Face. There were, incidentally, a few side votes for Harold Lloyd and even good ole Fatty Arbuckle as well. Anyway, that is it for this, the fifth round of our Battle Royale here at The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World. Please be sure to check back in a few days for the announcement of our competitors in round six. It is sure to be a sisterly, albeit the lifelong sibling rivalry version of said sisterdom, kind of event. See ya soon.
2 comments:
I think you're right that Chaplin was certainly a more versatile film-maker, but if you compare The Tramp to Keaton's characters, I tend to fall in love more with Keaton's humor and innocence. Not that they aren't both the best!
I would have mentioned Lloyd as well.
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