From his earliest days as the irascible Tramp in his iconic silent films, to his evolution to one of the finest filmmakers to ever work in the medium, Charles Chaplin did everything he possibly could to imprint himself on the culture. He is most known for his astonishing work in the silent era, but his later career should not be disqualified at all, especially the films that saw him doing something slightly different. One of his finest efforts is also the penultimate work from his long and storied career, the hilarious A King in New York, his irreverent look into a few weeks in the life of a European monarch who survives a revolution by escaping to New York City, where he hopes to get a new start, but realizes his life is now a tabula rasa, since all of his resources have been viciously taken away from him, leaving him with no other choice than to buckle to the demands of the corporate machine that seek to commodify his image. A high-concept comedy with an enormous heart and an even more notable sense of humour, this film is a fascinating experiment from a filmmaker whose greatest merit as an artist was his refusal to rest on his laurels – and even in his later years would still tinker with the form regularly enough to justify yet another exploration of the reasons behind his brilliance. A King in New York is one of his most compelling films, an intricately constructed, soulful comedy with an unexpected depth, and an endless stream of laughs that sustain it and keep it captivating, even when it threatens to become somewhat repetitive, or in the moments where it seems to be on the verge of becoming too self-serious, all of which demonstrate Chaplin’s remarkable ability to keep everything under control, his work continuing to be awe-inspiring over a decade later.

A King in New York is a film that was produced at a difficult time in American history – the Second World War had ended only a decade prior, and the impact of the United States’ involvement was still felt. This was also at the peak of the Red Scare, with the spread of Communism but a prescient issue in many corners of society, the national cultural consciousness collectively trying to eradicate every sign of influence from the Soviet Union on their country. Chaplin, an outsider to Hollywood already, was not a stranger to allegations of Communist sympathies – his masterpiece Modern Times was viewed as advocating for a Marxist ideology through its emphasis on the daily trials and tribulations of the unnamed workers, and he showed a fervent refusal to villainize those who were accused of Communism, since his sympathies lay with those who were blacklisted, rather than for the political system they supposedly supported. A King in New York seems to be his attempt to respond to these allegations – produced a decade after the first round of demands that the director be removed from the United States (which eventually came to fruition in 1952, when he was exiled to his native Europe), the film has a vitriolic sense of humour that isn’t always associated with Chaplin, who seems to be at his most caustic here, attacking the ridiculous operations of the House Committee on Un-American Activities and their paranoid search for anyone who showed even an iota of deviance from what is considered normal. Executing this message through the guise of an extravagant, outrageous comedy was a bold but worthwhile choice, since by the time we reach the more socially conscious aspect of the story, we’ve been charmed many times over by an otherwise eccentric comedy with a jagged satirical edge that keeps us engaged, even when the allusions aren’t so clear.

With the exception of only a small handful of films, Chaplin was always so incredibly passionate about his career, his work reflecting an impeccable work ethic that one wouldn’t always expect. It makes sense, since he made a fortune doing what he loved – making people laugh, telling stories that meant something to him, and revolutionizing both the art of performance and the steadily growing world of filmmaking, in a time when it was still in its infancy. A King in New York came about later in his career, but it is just as enthralling as anything he was doing in his younger days – and as both the director and star of this production (as was the case with virtually all of his films), Chaplin is entirely in control of every aspect. Using the resources he had been given, including having to portray the illusion of New York City from a few European locations (hence why so much of the film takes place indoors, rather than in the recognizable city streets), the director handcrafts a delicate but impactful comedy that uses its socio-cultural background to remarkable effect, giving Chaplin the chance to express himself through the kind of unhinged comedy he did so well. Blending together scathing satire with the rapid-fire slapstick that built his career, A King in New York is an absolute delight, especially when it manages to keep everything so effortlessly simple. There isn’t much need for overly-complex, convoluted plots or deviations into the absurd – the film is propelled by the strength of its own intricate sense of humour, so everything else can fall into place without too much effort, which is a regular factor in nearly all of Chaplin’s films, which manage to be simultaneously visually spectacular and narratively potent, without needing to resort to the excess that some of his lesser imitators have struggled to overcome.

A King in New York may not be one of Chaplin’s instant classics, as is the case with some of his other work, with the main reason being that this one seems confined to a particular temporal moment, which means that the viewer needs to at least be vaguely aware of the historical context in order to understand the humour. Yet, most of this takes place in the final act of the film, with the rest of the story focusing on issues that are far more relatable. In particular, the role the media plays in the everyday life of individuals is heavily emphasized throughout the film, with the main character being thrust into a position where his only hope of surviving is through commodifying his image and becoming a brand. Nearly seven decades later, this aspect of the story is still oddly resonant, with the rise of social media influencers and artists who “sell out” and become brand ambassadors being a hot-button issue that is widely debated, without any resolution in sight. Chaplin does exceptionally well not to ramble on about the disconnect between artistic integrity and consumerism, but there is a genuinely compelling set of discussions that are ignited by this film. Naturally, A King in New York is like all of the director’s work, insofar as it avoids becoming weighed down by the discourse, but it does convey meaning that works to its benefit, and allows it to have aged exceptionally well, to the point where even those who don’t quite understand the significance of the political underpinnings will find a way to enjoy this film, since it touches on themes that we are all familiar with in some way or another.

It’s always a great delight to sample from the mind of some of history’s great artists, and Chaplin has developed a reputation strong enough to stand alongside some of the titans of history when it comes to his creativity and willingness to take on any subject, as long as it results in a story that is well-told and memorable – and it helps when he has a personal interest in the material which was certainly the case with many of his greatest films. A King in New York is not any different, and it shows many of the quirks that made him such an interesting individual – his screen presence is unmatched (even at a slightly advanced age, he has a youthfulness that is enviable, and a glimmer of mischief in his eyes that show that he may have reached maturity, but he’s still very much the same rapscallion at heart), and his directorial prowess is just remarkable in every way. Simple but effective, and always capable of extracting all the humour and resonant emotions from each and every scene, Chaplin’s work in this film is just incredible, and it warrants consideration with his canonical classics, the beautiful and intricate work he is doing being reflective of a keen understanding of the subject matter, and a sardonic wit that comes from experiencing the changing social conventions that eventually came to envelop him, but not beat him down entirely, since there was always the potential to turn a bad situation into something that resonates with audiences. Not one to be broken down by foolish accusations, but rather someone who could use this as the impetus for a near-masterpiece, Chaplin achieved a new level of mastery with his craft in A King in New York, a film that stands as an incredible accomplishment, and quite simply a delight from beginning to end.