Charlie Chaplin is indisputably one of the most important figures in world cinema whose influence is felt even today, in many recent productions. The short film From Charlie, with Love is signed by Andres Ramirez who, starting with the very title, expresses his admiration for the great American actor, proposing a contemporary replica of the famous Charlot. The director creates a kind of pastiche, adapting only formally a fragment detached from the daily existence of some young people, but preserving the essence and “purity” of the original cinematic references. Hance, the short film has the interface of a silent black and white film, whose image is edited according to the principles of a classic movie, being supported by naive and suggestive music. Likewise, the main actor builds his character through meaningful ample gestures and facial expressions, respecting the principles imposed by Chaplin. At the narrative level, the short film depicts a spontaneous love story, without addressing, however, some more complex psychological or emotional nuances.
Far from being a project that takes to another level a style well-known by fans of American classic films, this short film conquers through its tender naivety, and through its predictable but optimistic narrative linearity. In other words, Andres Ramirez sketches a simple storyline, but transposed into a “vintage” universal cinematic language, using some characters who are touching precisely through their “innocence”. Of course, in such a formula, the main question that arises is to what extent such a project will meet the requirements of some spectators who are always looking for brand new experiences. Well, for this director, it is not the originality that becomes a purpose in itself, but the joy of rediscovering an essential fragment of the history of cinema that Andres Ramirez approaches with the candour and curiosity of the one who takes a look into an old photo album. Basically, From Charlie, with Love is like a sincere invitation to re-fall in love with the art of the great Charlot or to relive the nostalgia or tenderness of a story as “unspectacular” as it is comforting.
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