A Woman Of Paris Criterion Blu-ray Review
“A Woman Of Paris” is an overlooked Charlie Chaplin film.
Written, directed and produced by Charlie Chaplin, 1923’s “A Woman Of Paris” is a silent film that does not feature The Tramp character of Chaplin himself. Instead, Chaplin took a big departure and created a drama about a French woman (Marie St. Clair) who wants to go to Paris to wed her artist lover (Jean). Marie is broke and unhappy living in a small village with her father who doesn’t approve of Jean. Likewise, Jean’s father doesn’t approve of their relationship either. Before Marie and Jean can venture off to Paris, tragedy strikes as Jean’s father passes away. Jean stays while Marie goes off to Paris. A year passes and Marie is living a life of luxury as the mistress of a wealthy gentleman Pierre Revel (who is a womanizer). Marie’s world is turned upside down when she encounters Jean who is now living in Paris with his mother. Jean wants to do a portrait of Marie and is still in love with her, but Jean’s mother doesn’t approve of Marie or her lifestyle. Marie finds herself at a crossroads. Does she live comfortably as a woman on the side with Pierre or does she potentially live a fuller life with the man she loves (Jean)? Or will something else happen entirely?
While not as revered as other works by Charlie Chaplin, “A Woman Of Paris” deserves acclaim. Not only does it show that Charlie Chaplin was much more than his Tramp persona, but it showed he was capable of telling a variety of stories. In the case of ‘Paris’ he made a serious drama, a tragedy, and a love triangle all rolled into one. Moreover, this isn’t a standard drama/romance either. There’s no happy ending here and this never feels like an overdone Hollywood drama. Chaplin goes for a more grounded approach with Marie’s story by showing that things don’t always work out the way you want them to. Sometimes you end up taking another road in life. It’s the type of story that really hits you hard in unexpected ways. That’s a testament to Chaplin’s skills as a filmmaker and a writer.
Edna Purviance is the main star here and she is exquisite. She really manages to showcase a wide range of emotions with her character. Adolphe Menju shines as the cocky rich man Pierre. He brings a real swagger to the role and makes the character his own. Carl Miller also impresses as the sensitive artist Jean.His chemistry with Edna is particularly believable.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.33:1 1080p. How does it look? The 4K digital restoration of the 1976 rerelease version offers up dazzling image clarity. Despite some defects (ala the persistent lines on the left side of the frame), the print quality is frankly astonishing and will please fans who have undoubtedly seen some rough copies of this film in the past.
Audio Track: Uncompressed Mono. How does it sound? The Mono track provides a nice crisp score composed by Charlie Chaplin.
Extras:
* 1976 and 2023 rerelease trailers
* The 2005 alternate score by conductor Timothy Brock.
* A fold-out poster/booklet with credits and essays by writer/critic Pamela Hutchinson and Timothy Brock.
* An intro by Charlie Chaplin scholar David Robinson.
* Nearly 14 minutes of deleted shots.
* 3 minutes of rare silent footage of the group contract signing for the founding of United Artists along with a publicity shoot. The group consists of Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. griffith.
* A 1964 audio interview with cinematographer Roland Totheroh who talks about “A Woman Of Paris.”
* A 2022 documentary short about “A Woman Of Paris” narrated by Arnold Lozano over photos, footage, and stills.
* “Chaplin Today: A Woman Of Paris”- A 2003 documentary short about ‘Paris’ featuring interviews with Liv Ullman and Michael Powell.
* “A Serious Drama”- A new visual essay by Chaplin biographer Jeffrey Vance about Chaplin’s artistry with “A Woman Of Paris.”
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