Page "Charlie Chaplin" Paragraph 34

Having satisfied his First National contract, Chaplin was free to make his first picture for United Artists.

In November 1922 he began filming A Woman of Paris, a romantic drama about ill-fated lovers.

Chaplin intended it as a star-making vehicle for Edna Purviance, and did not appear in the picture himself other than in a brief, uncredited cameo.

His aim for the film was realism, resulting in a restrained acting style that was revolutionary for the era ; in real life, he later explained, " men and women try to hide their emotions rather than seek to express them ".

Filming took seven months, followed by three months of editing the large negative.

A Woman of Paris premièred in September 1923 and was widely acclaimed by critics for its subtle approach and flawed characters.

The public, however, seemed to have little interest in a Chaplin film without Chaplin, and it was a box-office disappointment.

The filmmaker was hurt by this failure — he had long wanted to produce a dramatic film and was proud of the result — and withdrew A Woman of Paris from circulation as soon as he could.

During production of the film Chaplin had been involved with the actress Pola Negri, a romantic pairing that received vast media interest.

In January 1923 the pair announced their engagement ; by July they had separated, leading to speculation that the relationship was a publicity stunt.