The Freak

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For the comic books characters of the same name, see Freak (comics).

The Freak was an unfinished dramatic comedy from Charles Chaplin. The story revolved around a young South American girl who unexpectedly sprouts a pair of wings. She is kidnapped and taken to London where her captors cash in by passing her off as an angel. Later she escapes, only to be arrested because of her appearance. She is further dehumanized by standing trial to determine if she is human at all.

Chaplin began work in and around 1969 with his daughter Victoria in mind for the lead role. However Victoria's abrupt marriage and his advanced age proved as roadblocks and the film was never made. Chaplin's memoir, My Life in Pictures (1974), describes The Freak as a work still in progress. He also mentioned his intent to make it in an interview on his 85th birthday in 1974. "I mean to make it someday," Chaplin writes in a caption alongside a photograph of Victoria in winged costume. No footage from the film is known to exist.

The script is currently locked away in Switzerland.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Trivia

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Chaplin composed a song for the film called "You are the Song", inspired by his wife Oona.
The wings would have been the same ones worn by The Tramp in, The Kid (1921).

[edit] See also

[1] Interview from Independent Film Quarterly
[2] The Official Charles Chaplin website
[3] Selection from Chaplin in the Sound Era: An Analysis of the Seven Talkies by Eric L. Flom

v • d • e Charlie Chaplin filmography

Keystone Studios (1914)	Making a Living • Kid Auto Races at Venice • Mabel's Strange Predicament • Between Showers • A Film Johnnie • Tango Tangles • His Favourite Pastime • Cruel, Cruel Love • The Star Boarder • Mabel at the Wheel • Twenty Minutes of Love • Caught in a Cabaret • Caught in the Rain • A Busy Day • The Fatal Mallet • Her Friend the Bandit • Mabel's Busy Day • Mabel's Married Life • Laughing Gas • The Face on the Bar Room Floor • Recreation • The Masquerader • His New Profession • The Rounders • The Property Man • The New Janitor • Those Love Pangs • Dough and Dynamite • Gentlemen of Nerve • His Musical Career • His Trysting Place • Tillie's Punctured Romance • Getting Acquainted • His Prehistoric Past

Essanay Studios (1915-1918)	His New Job • A Night Out • The Champion • In the Park • A Jitney Elopement • The Tramp • By the Sea • His Regeneration (uncredited) • Work • A Woman • The Bank • Shanghaied • A Night in the Show • Burlesque on Carmen • Police • Triple Trouble

Mutual Film Corp (1916-1917)	The Floorwalker • The Fireman • The Vagabond • One A.M. • The Count • The Pawnshop • Behind the Screen • The Rink • Easy Street • The Cure • The Immigrant • The Adventurer

First National (1918-1923)	A Dog's Life • The Bond • Shoulder Arms • Sunnyside • A Day's Pleasure • The Professor • The Kid • The Idle Class • Pay Day • The Pilgrim

United Artists (1923-1952)	A Woman of Paris • The Gold Rush • The Circus • City Lights • Modern Times • The Great Dictator • Monsieur Verdoux • Limelight

Later productions	A King in New York • The Chaplin Revue • A Countess from Hong Kong • The Freak • The Nut • Souls For Sale • A Woman of the Sea • Show People • Chaplin

Stock company	Edna Purviance • Eric Campbell • Albert Austin • Henry Bergman