Limelight

The masterpiece of laughter and tears from the master of comedy!

1952 • 137 min • Romance · Drama · Music · Comedy

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Synopsis

A fading music hall comedian tries to help a despondent ballet dancer learn to walk and to again feel confident about life.

Our family guide

Best from age 10

Movie Knight Score

611 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
79 Audience · 610 · 49%

An aging music hall star helps a young ballet dancer regain her will to live after a crisis of confidence. This film explores themes of mentorship, artistic perseverance, and the challenges of growing older in a performance career. It’s a poignant tale with moments of both humor and sadness.

Violence & peril: 1/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Discussions of suicide attempt
Implied alcohol use
Themes of aging and loss
Some emotional intensity

What it models well

Compassion and mentorship
Resilience in the face of adversity
Value of art and performance
Finding purpose

Talk about it after

Coping with sadness and despair
The fleeting nature of fame
Sacrifice for one's art
Importance of human connection

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Limelight. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Charlie Chaplin • Crew: Charlie Chaplin

Trailers & clips

Limelight (1952) ORIGINAL TRAILER

Claire Bloom on Charlie Chaplin

Three Reasons: Limelight

Limelight and Cabaret Win Music Awards: 1973 Oscars

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Chaplin's masterpiece about the bittersweet romance between an aging, washed-up comedienne and the suicidal ballet dancer he rescues and takes under his wing is one of the greatest dramas I have ever seen. It's a marvelous turn by Chaplin, who also directed, wrote the story and composed the score. Claire Bloom is simply wonderful as Chaplin's despondent lover.…
barrymost, TMDB Community