Charlie Chaplin's daughter, Geraldine Chaplin (you remember her from the movie Dr. Zhivago!) 1960s... And a letter from her father to his beloved daughter...
"Be the most beautiful woman, dance, be a star and shine. But when you get drunk from enchanting the audience and admiring them, when the scent of the flowers presented to you makes you dizzy, go to a corner by yourself and read my letter and listen to your father's voice. These dance and applause sounds will sweep you off your feet. Take your wings, fly away! But keep your feet on the ground once in a while. You should know how the people live, see the lives of street dancers. Those who dance exhausted from hunger, shivering from poverty and cold... I too am with them. I shared the same fate, Geraldine. I know what hunger means, and what homelessness means... Is this even a thing? I felt the pain of the pennies thrown in front of me with the feeling of pity in my chest, which was swollen like an ocean with pride, and I suffered the pain of a miserable person who was despised. All this. And yet, here I am. Those who are alive are always less talked about. You bear my surname, the name Chaplin... This name has made the whole world laugh for almost half a century. What are these laughs compared to my tears? The world you live in consists only of dance and music... Geraldine, when you leave that magnificent hall at midnight, do not forget to ask the taxi driver about his wife's well-being... Who knows, maybe his wife is pregnant, maybe he does not even have money to buy diapers for the first baby that will be born soon. If this is the case, go ahead and put money in your pocket... I gave instructions to Pre Credit Bank, they will cover your expenses. Calculate the payments you will make to others, penny by penny, and give accordingly... Take the subway or bus from time to time, or wander around the city on foot... Look at people, observe them well. Take care of the eyes of widows and orphans. At least tell yourself this a few times a day; I am one of them too! Yes, my dear daughter, do not forget this; You are one of them too. Art beats people's feet until they give them wings to fly into the sky. When the time comes and you start to feel that you are rising in front of the audience, get off the stage, go outside... Grab a passing taxi and go to the outskirts of Paris. I know these neighborhoods well... You will see dancer girls there. Among them, there are those who are similar to you, and those who are more elegant and proud than you... You cannot find the dazzling stage lights in your theater there! Their spotlight is the Moon. Look at them, look more carefully! Don't they dance even better than you? Come on, admit it... If you meet someone who dances better than you or acts better than you, then always remember these words of mine: You will never speak ill of Charlie's family, the carriage driver, or make fun of the beggar sitting on the banks of the Seine asking for alms. There has never been anyone more ignorant of himself. Charlie will leave this world, Geraldine! You will continue your life. I never want you to experience poverty. I am sending you a check stub along with this letter. Spend as much as you want. But don't forget this! When you spend two francs, the third franc does not belong to you. Keep this in mind every time. The third franc belongs to someone else, someone you don't know, someone who lives longing for one franc. It won't be hard to find that person. You can see a poor person with every step you take, as long as you want to see them! I talk about money because I know the seductive power of this devil. I worked in the circus for a long time, I always watched the acrobats on the rope with fear. But now I would like to tell you this, my dear daughter. Believe me, it is easier for a person to slip and fall on the hard ground than for acrobats to fall from that uncanny rope. This evening, you may be attracted by the sparkle of a diamond and inevitably fall to the ground. One day, the face of a foreign prince may capture you. From that moment on, you can be considered an inexperienced acrobat. The rope has always betrayed the inexperienced. Don't sell your heart in exchange for gold and jewels. Remember, the biggest diamond is the sun, and fortunately, the sun illuminates everyone equally. If one day you love someone, love the person you choose with all your heart. I know your job is difficult. Now her body is covered with silk fabrics. You can also go on stage naked for art... But you must come off that stage pure, clean and flawless. I am an old man, my words may seem ridiculous. But I think your naked body should belong to the person who is in love with your naked soul. What should I do? Maybe my perspective on the subject is old-fashioned, maybe my thoughts are from ten years ago. Charlie is old, Geraldine, he is very old now. Sooner or later, you will come to my grave wearing black instead of white clothes. Now I don't want to upset you, but look in the mirror once in a while... You will see me in the mirror. My blood flows in your veins. I want you to remember your father Charlie when the blood in my veins stops flowing!
I was not an angel, but I always tried to be human… Do the same! I kiss you, Geraldine…
Your father is Charlie Chaplin - 1965