Richard Attenborough attempting to get the project made for 18 years. He directed the screen version of the musical "A Chorus Line" (1985) and the anti-apartheid drama "Cry Freedom" (1987). He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director for both films. His later films as director and producer include "Chaplin" (1992) starring Robert Downey Jr., as Charlie Chaplin and "Shadowlands" (1993), based on the relationship between C. S. Lewis and Joy Gresham (the star of the latter was Anthony Hopkins, who had appeared in four previous films for Attenborough: "Young Winston", "A Bridge Too Far", "Magic" and "Chaplin"). Between
Charlie Chaplin he was honoured with a special award by the Venice Film Festival. In 1972, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offered Chaplin an Honorary Award, which Robinson sees as a sign that America "wanted to make amends". Chaplin was initially hesitant about accepting but decided to return to the US for the first time in 20 years. The visit attracted a large amount of press coverage and, at the Academy Awards gala, he was given a twelve-minute standing ovation, the longest in the Academy's history. Visibly emotional, Chaplin accepted his award for "the incalculable effect he has had