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Limelight (1952 film)

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Limelight is a 1952 film about a fading comedian and a suicidally despondent ballet dancer who must look to each other to find purpose and hope in their lives.

Written and directed by Charles Chaplin.
It will move you to love, laughter and tears.taglines

Calvero

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  • What do you want meaning for? Life is a desire, not a meaning. Desire is the theme of all life! It makes a rose want to be a rose and want to grow like that. And a rock want to contain itself and remain like that.
  • There's something about working the streets I like. It's the tramp in me I suppose.
  • That's all any of us are: amateurs. We don't live long enough to be anything else.
  • Life can be wonderful if you're not afraid of it. All it needs is courage, imagination... and a little dough.
  • Time is the great author. Always writes the perfect ending.
  • I'm through clowning. Life isn't a gag anymore. I can't see the joke. From now on, I'm a retired humorist.
  • As a man gets on in years he wants to live deeply. A feeling of sad dignity comes upon him, and that's fatal for a comic. It affected my work. I lost contact with the audience, couldn't warm up to them.

Dialogue

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Terry: Worms can't smile!
Calvero: Oh, how would you know, have you ever appealed to their sense of humour?
Terry: What is there to fight for?
Calvero: Ah, you see, you admit it. What is there to fight for? Everything! Life itself, isn't that enough? To be lived, suffered, enjoyed! What is there to fight for? Life is a beautiful, magnificent thing, even to a jellyfish. Huh, what is there to fight for? Besides, you - you have your art, your dancing!
Terry: I can't dance without legs!
Calvero: I know a man without arms who can play a scherzo on a violin and does it all with his toes. The trouble is you won't fight! You've given in, continually dwelling on sickness and death. But - there's something just as inevitable as death, and that's life. Life, life, life! Think of the power that's in the universe, moving the earth, growing the trees. That's the same power within you if you only have courage and the will to use it!
Terry: [after attempting suicide] I'm sorry.
Calvero: You should be. A young girl like you wanting to throw your life away. Heh! When you are my age you want to hang onto it.
Calvero: At this stage of the game life gets to be a habit.
Terry: A hopeless one.
Calvero: Then live without hope. Live for the moment. There are still - there are still - there are still wonderful moments.
Calvero: I want to forget the public.
Terry: Never. You love them too much.
Calvero: I'm not so sure. Maybe I love them, but I don't admire them.
Terry: I think you do.
Calvero: As individuals, yes. There's greatness in everyone. But as a crowd, they're like a monster without a head that never knows which way it's going to turn. It can be prodded in any direction.
Terry: I'd despise myself if I thought that.
Calvero: That's the trouble, you do. That's the trouble with the world. We all despise ourselves.
Calvero's partner: If one more person tells me this is just like old times, I swear I'll jump out the window!
Postant: [enters] Here we are again, lads, just like old times!
Terry: What a sad business, being funny.
Calvero: Very sad if they won't laugh. But it's a thrill when they do. To look out there and see them all laughing, to hear that roar go up, waves of laughter coming at you.
Terry: So few of us have the ability to really feel.
Calvero: Or the opportunity.
Terry: If all else fails, there's always that little home in the country.
Calvero: My home is the theater.
Terry: I thought you hated the theater.
Calvero: I also hate the sight of blood, but it's in my veins.

Taglines

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  • It will move you to love, laughter and tears.
  • The masterpiece of laughter and tears from the master of comedy!

Cast

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