Film maudit turned cult classic, Charlie Chaplin’s MONSIEUR VERDOUX is now widely considered one of his best works, and his most political. Chaplin immodestly proclaimed it “the cleverest, most brilliant film of my career.” Originating from a true story, this self-described “comedy of murders” was based on an idea by Orson Welles, which Chaplin report- edly bought for five thousand dollars in a refusal to let it be directed by anyone but himself. VERDOUX stars Chaplin as a moustachioed bluebeard in beret and cravat whose charm- ing manners and good looks cloak a deep-seated, murderous hatred. The film includes such unforgettable moments as Verdoux snipping roses in his garden while an incinerator rages behind him, and his infamous pre-guillotine salvo, an indictment of humanity’s cyclical follies. – The Film Desk