Chaplin wrote the script based on his experience of traveling to Shanghai in 1931, and he asked me to star in the movie in 1966. Although I respect Chaplin very much, I told him that I don't feel fit to play this role. I have always been very cautious about comedy roles, but he tried his best to dispel my doubts and think I can do it. Since I saw him as a genius, I promised to be in his hands--"the puppet". I think he knows more than I do. Since he thinks I can add color to the film, then I am willing to let him do what he wants. Unexpectedly, "The Countess of Hong Kong" became a disaster. During the filming, I discovered that Chaplin may be the most sadistic person I have ever seen. He is a self-righteous tyrant and a miser. Even if the cast and crew are only a few minutes late, he will be mercilessly reprimanded. In order to speed up the progress, he scolds them recklessly. The worst part is that he treats his son Sydney extremely coldly. Sydney played my close friend in the film. He often taunted Sydney in front of everyone. "Sydney, you are such an idiot! Do you have no brains? Don't you know how to put your hand on the doorknob? Do you know what a doorknob is, do you know? I just need you to turn the doorknob, open the door and walk in . This is stumping you, Sydney? Chaplin used this tone to talk to his son again and again, rebuking Sydney for no reason and asking him to remake certain scenes. As long as he speaks to Sydney, it must be. It is ridiculous and sarcasm. Chaplin’s wife, Una O’Neill, always stays on the scene, but she never defends her stepson. Witnessing the cruelty between father and son--the scene is horrifying. It was painful, especially when Sydney told me that Chaplin treated other children in this way. Sydney said that once, one of his brothers went to Paris despite Chaplin’s objections and returned home at Christmas. Knocked on the door outside. Chaplin opened the door, stretched out his hand and punched his brother, breaking the bridge of his nose, and then "slammed" the door, leaving his son lying on the ground with blood on his face and refused to let him. He came in. Chaplin was very rich, but Sydney said that he never gave his children a penny. For example, Sydney dreams of opening a restaurant, but his father who owns a million-dollar property is unwilling to lend him a penny. "Sydney, why do you want to accept it?" I asked him one day, "Why didn't you leave the set? Why didn't you reply? Why did you accept his humiliation? It didn't make sense at all. "He is getting old." "Sydney said, to excuse his father: his movie was in trouble, he had a cold, he had too many things to worry about, etc. I said: "These are not reasons for him to abuse others, especially his own son." But I still couldn't persuade Sydney to rebel against his father. He continued to endure the abuse. One day, when I arrived on the set, I was about 15 minutes late. I was wrong, I shouldn't be late, but I was indeed late. Chaplin scolded me in front of all the cast and crew. He said that I lacked professional quality and that I was a scum among actors. I should be ashamed. He kept verbal abuse and insulted me endlessly, and I became more and more uncomfortable. Finally I said: "Mr. Chaplin, I will stay in the dressing room for 20 minutes. If you apologize to me during this time, I will consider staying, otherwise I will fly back to the United States immediately. I will only give you 20 minutes. "I went back to the dressing room, and after a few minutes, Chaplin knocked on the door and came in and apologized to me. Later, he never found my ballast again, and we finished the remaining shots without incident. Chaplin is not a born villain. Like everyone, his quality and temperament are also the result of a combination of genetic factors and life experience. Our character is created by our own pain and misfortune. He knows what makes people move, what makes people laugh, what makes people feel compassionate, what makes people sympathetic, and what is heroic; he knows how to touch the emotions of the audience and how to arouse their interest. He has an instinctive insight into the secrets of human nature. But even though he was very knowledgeable, he still couldn't understand his character. I still respect him and regard him as the greatest genius in the history of the film industry. I don't know if there is a genius like him in the world; in front of him, other people are instantly dwarfed, like characters in the Lilliputian Country. But as a human being, he also has an extremely complex personality, just like each of us. "Mr. Chaplin, I will stay in the dressing room for 20 minutes. If you apologize to me during this time, I will consider staying, otherwise I will fly back to the United States immediately. I will only leave you 20 minutes." I return. After arriving in the dressing room, after a few minutes, Chaplin knocked on the door and came in and apologized to me. Later, he never found my ballast again, and we finished the remaining shots without incident. Chaplin is not a born villain. Like everyone, his quality and temperament are also the result of a combination of genetic factors and life experience. Our character is created by our own pain and misfortune. He knows what makes people move, what makes people laugh, what makes people feel compassionate, what makes people sympathetic, and what is heroic; he knows how to touch the emotions of the audience and how to arouse their interest. He has an instinctive insight into the secrets of human nature. But even though he was very knowledgeable, he still couldn't understand his character. I still respect him and regard him as the greatest genius in the history of the film industry. I don't know if there is a genius like him in the world; in front of him, other people are instantly dwarfed, like characters in the Lilliputian Country. But as a human being, he also has an extremely complex personality, just like each of us. "Mr. Chaplin, I will stay in the dressing room for 20 minutes. If you apologize to me during this time, I will consider staying, otherwise I will fly back to the United States immediately. I will only leave you 20 minutes." I return. After arriving in the dressing room, after a few minutes, Chaplin knocked on the door and came in and apologized to me. Later, he never found my ballast again, and we finished the remaining shots without incident. Chaplin is not a born villain. Like everyone, his quality and temperament are also the result of a combination of genetic factors and life experience. Our character is created by our own pain and misfortune. He knows what makes people move, what makes people laugh, what makes people feel compassionate, what makes people sympathetic, and what is heroic; he knows how to touch the emotions of the audience and how to arouse their interest. He has an instinctive insight into the secrets of human nature. But even though he was very knowledgeable, he still couldn't understand his character. I still respect him and regard him as the greatest genius in the history of the film industry. I don't know if there is a genius like him in the world; in front of him, other people are instantly dwarfed, like characters in the Lilliputian Country. But as a human being, he also has an extremely complex personality, just like each of us.
Marlon Brando is a deviant person, and he is blunt about many absurd things in his autobiography. I don't think he is deliberately discrediting Chaplin.
This reminds me of a comment about Keaton and Chaplin. Their films are all sadistic. Keaton abuses himself and Chaplin abuses others. In many early silent films by Chaplin It is true that some innocent people are treated as comedy clips by sudden slapsticks. Maybe this artist does have a cruel and cruel side.
View more about A Countess from Hong Kong reviews
