Chaplin
dir. Richard Attenborough (1992)
A lengthy biopic that musters unexpected pathos in portraying the rise and fall, the brilliance and obsession, the unhappy wretchedness (some dictated by circumstances, some self-inflicted) of the man behind the tramp mask. Downey Jr. is exceptional even amongst a stellar cast.
The Dock Brief [aka “Trial and Error”]
dir. James Hill (1962)
Peter Sellers stars as an ineffectual barrister who has waited years for his first case, and Richard Attenborough as his unhelpfully guilty client. The performances are subtle and serious, while the script offers up a wistful character piece, not the comedy promised.