Chaplin (film) film is structured around flashbacks as the elderly Charlie Chaplin (now living in Switzerland) recollects moments from his life during a conversation with fictional character George Hayden, the editor of his autobiography. Chaplin's recollections begin with his childhood of extreme poverty from which he escapes by immersing himself in the world of the London music halls. After his mother Hannah Chaplin has an attack of nerves on stage during a performance, the four year old Chaplin takes his mother's place on the stage. Hannah retires from performing and is eventually committed to an asylum after developing psychosis. In the years
Charlie Chaplin filmography re-issued with soundtracks. "City Lights" (1931) and "Modern Times" (1936) were essentially silent films, although they were made with soundtracks consisting of music and sound effects, with talking sequences in the latter film. Chaplin's last five films were all talking pictures. Aside from "A Countess From Hong Kong", all of Chaplin's films were photographed in 35mm black-and-white. Except where otherwise referenced, the release dates, character names, and annotations presented here are derived from Chaplin's autobiography, Robinson's book, and "The Films of Charlie Chaplin" (1965) by Gerald D. McDonald, Michael Conway, and Mark Ricci. Chaplin appeared in 36 films for Keystone