The Premieres of 'A Countess from Hong Kong' - Part 2

With my next film I won’t open in London. I’ll open in Kalamazoo or somewhere and leave London later. I don’t understand what’s happening there now. (The Sunday Times)

When Chaplin first heard about the English reviews, he was shocked and offended at the same time. He was trying to defend himself by saying his films always addressed the public. (Which was not quite true in this case, because ‘A Countess’ turned out to be one of the biggest commercial failures of 1967.)

What shocked me about the English reviews of the ‘Countess’ was the fact that they were unanimous. And they seemed so personal, an attack on me. All they were interested in was ‘Chaplin has a flop’.

So Chaplin realized the critics were missing the depth of his film. He regained his self-confidence and went on to visit the French premier with great expectations. He arrived at Paris on the 12th of January, and held a press conference that night on Champs-Élysées. When he was asked if he would do another film after A Countess from Hong Kong he said: “Yes, I am preparing one but it is only in an embryonic state. There are roles for Geraldine and two of my daughters, Josephine and Victoria.”

Next day’s premiere in L’Opera Garnier was attended by his wife Oona, son Sydney and his wife Noelle Adam, and daughters Geraldine and Josephine. Famous French people also attended, including Guy de Rothschild (banker), Henri Chapier (journalist), Claude Pompidou (wife of the president) and even British actor Michael Cain. Chaplin and his family were greeted by a division of the French Army standing on the Great Staircase of the Opera House. (You can have a look at the mentioned staircase here.)

After a long night Chaplin danced a bit during the afterwards party with Geraldine.

(Have a look at another picture here!) 

In the end Charlie triumphed over the critics. Beginning with France, countries all over Europe started to praise the film and blame the London critics. The headlines of Paris Jours heralded “Paris Gives Chaplin his Revenge on London” and Paris-Match stated: “A Countess from Hong Kong is a charming comedy which did not deserve the severity of the British Press.”

(First posted on my blog in January 2016)