Monsieur Verdoux - Part 12

The story is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then murders them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine. The film ends as Verdoux is being led to the guillotine in the prison courtyard after dismissing his killing of a few as no worse than the highly-praised killing of large numbers in war. The script for this film, the idea for it given by Orson Welles, was inspired by the case of serial killer Henri Désiré Landru. Welles sought to direct the film with Chaplin as star, but Chaplin backed out at the last minute, on the grounds that he'd never been directed in a full length film before and wasn't willing to start. Instead, Chaplin bought the script from Welles and rewrote parts of it, crediting Welles only with the idea. The lead character kills to make money, hence he is not (in his eyes) a murderer.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• serial killer
• Henri Désiré Landru
• Monsieur Verdoux
• wealthy windows
• crime spree
• paris
• numbers sanctify

[ladynikkie]

@eaglesonofwill one murder makes a villian, millons a hero. sadly that is practally true.

[tiaelan]

Grew up watching old movies and remember seeing this one as a kid. Its been 15 years since I last saw this film and now at 31 years old, wow its even better than I can recall. Thanks so much for posting, this truly is an amazing film!

[raff1000]

"One Murder makes a villain, Millions a Hero, Numbers scientify!" Oh Man what a dialogue. CC is a philosopher..What a movie of all times!

[Caspar33]

Pity he didn't agree to be directed by Welles in this. As C.C. I'm sure knew, it would have been a battle 'extraordinaire'. If one or other hadn't found it impossible and the movie completed then we might have been spared the struggle between Chaplin's silent movie idea of what makes a good story, (with the lovable villian), his archaic compulsion to use slapstick at every opportunity and the kernal or heart of the film gloriously seen here and there. c.f. 'Shadow of a Doubt.' Hitchcock.

[nursemarful]

This is my first Charlie Chaplin movie! What a great movie! Look forward to seeing more. Powerful movie.

[fisteberg]

Chaplin is terrifying here.The perfect murderer,cynical and too calm.

[uniquekanku]

merci beaucoup pour cette vidéo fantastique performance de Chaplin et de Mme Bonheur....

[Nemesis7293]

Exquisite dialog. Chaplin embodies the spirit of humanity!

[JoshuaCromarty]

As a mass killer, I am an amateur by comparison.

[ladynikkie]

@tiaelan i believe they still play this in some film festivals to this day.

[yolo22]

"numbers sanctify". chaplin's message is so eloquent.

awesome film. thank you for posting.