US barred Chaplin knighthood

Charlie Chaplin, the world's greatest silent movie star and a twentieth-century icon, was denied a knighthood for nearly two decades because of American anger at his left-wing political sympathies and morality.

Secret papers released for this weekend by the Public Record Office reveal that the possibility of a knighthood for the British star was discussed in 1956, but rejected after concerns over possible outrage in the United States. Chaplin moved to America in 1910, when he first visited the country as a music-hall comedian, and stayed there until 1952. He always refused American citizenship.

Correspondence from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office shows that the main US objections centred on his ingratitude 'for the material prosperity which his 42 years in America had bestowed upon him' and 'grave moral charges' over his relationships with teenage girls.

A note from the Foreign Office Research Department outlined serious US charges about Chaplin's morality to back up the objections to the knighthood, mainly culled from the gossip columns. According to the Foreign Office, Chaplin had 'managed to shock even the broad-minded' with his marriages to 16-year-olds - Mildred Harris (1918) and Lita Grey (1924).

When he left America in 1952, Chaplin issued a bitter statement saying he had been the object of 'lies and vicious propaganda by powerful reactionary groups, who by their influence and the aid of America's yellow press have created an unhealthy atmosphere in which liberal-minded individuals can be singled out and persecuted'.

The political allusions in Chaplin's films quickly raised alarm in the US. In Modern Times (1936), Chaplin is thrown in jail after inadvertently getting caught up in a communist street demonstration. The Great Dictator (1940) includes a heartfelt appeal for international intervention against Nazi Germany's persecution of the Jews. A year later he was hauled before a Senate sub-committee on war propaganda.

After the US entered the Second World War in December 1941, the FBI labelled Chaplin a 'premature anti-fascist', and continued to monitor him while he was in America. In 1942, Chaplin was vocal in calling for Allied support for the Soviet war effort. He was also criticised for his support for Stalin's demands for an early second front to be opened during the war and demanding greater backing for the Soviet army.

By the late Forties it is believed the FBI had a 1,900-page file on Chaplin. In 1947 he was forced to hold a press conference to deny formally being a communist. But this was not enough for the Americans or the Foreign Office, whose research department wrote: 'He has added grist to his opponents' mill by his acceptance of public marks of favour from the communist orbit.' He courted controversy by accepting a peace prize from the 'communist- sponsored' World Peace Council in June 1954, having dinner with Chinese Prime Minister Chou En-lai a month later and meeting Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Bulganin in London in 1956.

By the time he left the US in 1952, he was no longer welcome in the country that had made him famous and effectively barred from returning.

The Foreign Office concluded in 1956: 'While there is undeniably still much admiration for Mr Chaplin as an artist, even among those Americans who neither agree with his politics nor condone his morals, there has been remarkably little disposition, outside left-wing circles, to question the action of the Department of Justice in 1952 in virtually barring re-entry into the United States.'

The papers reveal that by the early Seventies the Foreign Office was beginning to soften its position. A letter from the FCO's protocol department in August 1971 expresses the general government opinion that 'a good deal of water has flowed under the bridge since 1956 and there may be a feeling to let bygones be bygones'.

It is clear from the correspondence that an honour could only go ahead if the Queen was prepared to overlook the various charges against him. Lord Cromer, the Ambassador to Washington, wrote in 1971 that Chaplin 'is now regarded here more as an Anglo-American father figure'. Chaplin was knighted in 1975, two years before his death.

In 1942, Chaplin was vocal in calling for Allied support for the Soviet war effort. He was also criticised for his support for Stalin's demands for an early second front to be opened during the war and demanding greater backing for the Soviet army.

It's usually pretty easy to figure out who were the Communists prior to Pearl Harbor. They're the ones who were anti-Nazi until the August 1939 Nazi/Soviet non-aggression pact, then became very anti-British, then, suddenly, around June 22, 1941 became very anti-Nazi again.

If they were consistently opposed to the Nazis throughout that period, especially during the ostensible Nazi/Soviet alliance, then they may have been left-wing, but they weren't Communist suck-ups.

Let me deconstruct this piece and you'll see what I mean.

rejected after concerns over possible outrage in the United States. Outrage from whom?

the main US objections Who is objecting? centred on his ingratitude 'for the material prosperity which his 42 years in America had bestowed upon him' and 'grave moral charges' over his relationships with teenage girls. Who are they quoting? I have to assume the (UK) Foreign Office papers.

serious US charges From whom?

mainly culled from the gossip columns Now we're getting the picture.

Chaplin had 'managed to shock even the broad-minded' with his marriages to 16-year-olds Determined, I suppose, by the gossip columnists. 'lies and vicious propaganda by powerful reactionary groups . . . Beats the hell out of "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" but means the same thing.

The political allusions in Chaplin's films quickly raised alarm in the US. Alarm, you say? Who is being alarmed?

The Great Dictator (1940) . . . A year later he was hauled before a Senate sub-committee on war propaganda. Hmmm . . . hauled. I don't know about this event, but given The Observer's track record, I wouldn't be surprised if he were a less-than-hostile witness in a less-than-hostile proceeding. Besides, wouldn't a guy who wrote a film where he engages in anti-Nazi propaganda be a perfect person to ask?

FBI labelled Chaplin a 'premature anti-fascist', and continued to monitor him while he was in America. This is the ONLY specific charge from the US. No date, BTW.

In 1942, Chaplin was vocal in calling for Allied support for the Soviet war effort. Interesting POV considering he was British and the Brits were a little busy themselves to go around helping out Stalin.

By the late Forties it is believed the FBI had a 1,900-page file on Chaplin. Ah, the passive voice again. By whom, praytell?

He courted controversy by accepting a peace prize from the 'communist-sponsored' World Peace Council in June 1954, Now The Observer puts that phrase in quotes, but I'm willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that it was more than a little 'communist-sponsored'. They could have at least done us the favor of checking.

having dinner with Chinese Prime Minister Chou En-lai a month later Why every private citizen did that in the early fifties!

and meeting Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Bulganin in London in 1956. The trifecta!

effectively barred from returning. "Effectively?" How is it "effective" but not "actual"? I'd like to hear more. Why does it not surprise me that The Observer doesn't elaborate?

The Foreign Office concluded . . . '. . . there has been remarkably little disposition, outside left-wing circles, to question the action of the Department of Justice in 1952 in virtually barring re-entry into the United States.' "Virtually" instead of "essentially", this time. The Foreign Service sees fit to put a lot of words in Americans' mouths. Besides, outside of left-wing circles, I doubt anybody cared. You can rest assured that it was topic #1 at The Nation, though.

See what I mean?

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