Chaplin (film) for its high production values, but many critics dismissed it as an overly glossy biopic. One critic wrote that the screenplay "endeavors to cover too much ground. The life of Charlie Chaplin was so vast and varied that a film is far too restrictive a format to give it justice." "Chaplin" currently holds a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 50 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, ""Chaplin" boasts a terrific performance from Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role, but it isn't enough to overcome a formulaic biopic that pales in comparison to its subject's classic films." The
Unknown Chaplin actress during filming. A compilation of alternate takes illustrates how Chaplin slowly developed the story line of "The Immigrant". The film was narrated by James Mason, and original music was scored and conducted by Carl Davis. PBS distributed the series in the United States in 1986 as part of the series "American Masters". In the 2005 DVD release of the series, Brownlow relates some of "Unknown Chaplin"'s backstory. In 2010, Brownlow published a book on the making of the documentary titled "The Search for Charlie Chaplin". Unknown Chaplin Unknown Chaplin is an acclaimed three-part 1983 British documentary series about the