When Charlie Chaplin Was Banned From America For Communist Rumors

British-born Charlie Chaplin was one of America's most liked silent film stars and one of the few who made a spontaneous transition to "Talkies". He enjoyed an illustrious career in Hollywood in the 50s until Red Scare banned Charlie Chaplin from the US.

Charlie Chaplin in politics

The 1940s were a rocky time for Charlie Chaplin. He went through a high-profile divorce from his second wife, and the film industry was shifting from silent films to talkies, a move that intimidated Chaplin. To travel the world, England's own homeland and then throughout Europe and Japan, where he met with politicians and social leaders who showed his interest in the plight of the working class.

Upon his return, he wrote, filmed and starred in The Modern Times, with a clear anti-capitalism message that struck the public, particularly the U.S. Spoiled in government. In Chaplin's next film, The Dictator, the actor portrayed a Hitler-like character. The film was highly regarded, and its anti-war and anti-fascist themes made it a favorite of President Franklin Roosevelt, but not everyone was on board. The film also led F.B.I director J. Attracted the attention of Edgar Hoover, who worried that Chaplin's political views were drifting too far into the red.

Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare

In the late 1940s and 50s, the American public feared an invasion of communist ideas. Leading the movement was Joseph McCarthy, a Wisconsin senator who was convinced that the Communists had infiltrated the world's top ranks of the US government, Hollywood, and professional sports, and feared that these powerful figures would turn their back on America to red Will use effects. In what form it might be described as a witch hunt, McCarthy and his House Committee on Un-American Activities worked to identify those who were "loyalty risks" to the United States. Those who were targeted and accused by the committee were put on trial, and even if the allegations proved unfounded, it was enough to ruin a person's career.

Charlie Chaplin in the 50s

World War II brought out Chaplin's political side. Although he claimed that he was not a communist, he offered his opinion that the US should start a second front to help the Soviet Union during the war, improving US-Soviet relations, and some of Los Angeles' social Attended ceremonies. Soviet diplomat. F.B.I. He had an eye on the actor and his political activities in early 1947, but it took him five years to achieve his goal of banning Charlie Chaplin from the US.

On September 18, 1952, Chaplin left for the US to travel to Europe to promote his new film Limelight. He intended to return to the US within six months, but the next day, the United States Attorney General announced that Chaplin would be denied access before he could return. Chaplin's ship reached Europe as soon as the news was received. Back on dry land in England, he insisted to reporters that he was simply a "peacekeeper" who "wanted a roof over every man's head."

Exile in switzerland

Chaplin was angered by his exile. Even if his passport was British, he had lived in the United States for more than four decades, until now he lived in his homeland. Having found a home in Switzerland, he vowed never to return to the United States, but he could not remain insane forever. In 1972, after 20 years of exile, he appeared at the Oscars to accept an honorary award. Nevertheless, he did not last long. He quickly returned to Switzerland, where he remained until 1977, when he died in his sleep at the age of 88.