Where there’s a Chaplin, there a Hoover.

 

Politics has always tried to smother creativity. Nowhere, have artists found complete freedom to express themselves. Right from the Catholic Church immolating the illuminati to the modern day ‘lobbied’ governments filtering the media the scope of imagination has always been confined to entertainment.

Charles Spencer Chaplin came to America to explore new avenues for acting. But, the land of opportunity didn’t extend a very warm welcome. He depicted this cold hearted gesture in his film The Immigrant. It was at this juncture that John Edgar Hoover, the FBI chief, intruded into the personal and professional life of Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin is known for vociferously portraying social issues in his silent films. On the other hand, Hoover had a strong dislike for him post a dinner party where Chaplin mocked Hoover over his anti communist idiosyncrasies. Form that night onwards Hoover wanted to bring Chaplin down to new lows where no individual had ever been before, and that too, on a public forum. While Chaplin was delivering classics after classics, incorporating issues like Capitalism, Great Depression and the Holocaust, Hoover was adamant on labeling him as anti American and a communist. Special agents were recruited to monitor Chaplin’s life on all fronts. His telephone lines were taped and his movements were recorded. His interactions, especially with women were under strict surveillance. Chaplin had to suffer a lot of character assassination when he was falsely implicated into taking legal custody of his alleged illegitimate daughter with an aspiring actress Joan Barry. Chaplin was falsely tagged a communist and eventually driven into exile with his wife Oona O’Neil.  J. Edgar Hoover, on the other hand served as the director of FBI for over 50 years.

Both Chaplin and Hoover are colossal figures of their traits. They both are legends with their share of followers. But, more significantly, both these individuals stand as symbols, with Hoover as the oppressor and Chaplin as the indomitable artistic spirit. The clash of their two ideologies is evident in everyday scenario where oppressor tries to dictate terms while the rebels never give up. The notion of who is good and who is bad, keeps on changing sides. Charlie Chaplin was an unconquered soul while John Edgar Hoover was a patriotic tyrant. They both lie within all individuals and whose side we cling on to, is our call for the making. Chaplin’s lifetime achievement award, given to him in the very country that out casted him is the proof of the fact that freedom always thrives over suppression.