Oui Monsieur

Monsieur Verdoux is getting a rerelease and critics, old and new, seem to like it. Truth is, they've been trying to pump this up into a classic since James Agee went overboard on its original release.

Chaplin, a great performer but not as great a director, was baffled by sound. The film is a mess, but because it's a harsh comedy about a murderer that strains for significance, critics have been able to read depth into it. Unfortunately, it fails on even the most basic level as entertainment.

Chaplin made some of the screen's greatest classics in his silent days. If he hadn't, I find it hard to believe anyone would have much good to say about his talkies.