When we think of Charlie Chaplin, what often comes to mind is his signature suit, bowler hat and cane look, as well as some of his classic movies, like The Great Dictator and Modern Times. However, we sometimes forget that he was a prolific filmmaker and screenwriter with dozens of movies under his belt and a pretty long career. Next year, Criterion Collection is celebrating one of its lesser known titles by releasing it with a 4K digital restoration. A mandatory title for collectors, A Woman of Paris is being released on March 18, 2025.
Even for 1923 standards, A Woman of Paris was considered a bit of a curveball thrown by Chaplin, since he tended to work on projects that veered towards comedy. The silent movie was a lot more drama-driven, as well as written and produced by Chaplin. The story centers around a woman who is forced to move from a small French village to Paris after tragedy strikes and suddenly finds herself in the middle of a vibrant community during the Jazz Age.
The main character, Marie St. Clair, was played by Edna Purviance, who worked with Chaplin in several other titles including The Pilgrim, The Kid and The Tramp. Despite being 101 years old, the movie has received some retroactive praise and currently stands tall with a 93% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Criterion, A Woman of Paris was considered "a silent masterpiece" not only because it took audiences by surprise with its tone, but also because the movie is considered to be far ahead of its time depicting an independent woman who is unapologetic on her search for fulfillment.
'A Woman of Paris' Bonus Features Revealed By Criterion
In terms of bonus features, Criterion announced that A Woman of Paris' Blu-ray special edition will be a 4K digital restoration of the movie's 1976's re-release version, with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack and a score composed by Chaplin himself. The alternate 2005 score by Timothy Brock will also be available, presented in uncompressed stereo. The special edition will have no shortage of features celebrating its legacy: there will be an introduction by Chaplin scholar David Robinson, a video essay by biographer Jeffrey Vance, a documentary on the making of the movie, and more.
A Woman of Paris Blu-ray will also come with valuable features such as deleted shots, archival footage and excerpts from an audio interview with Chaplin Studios cameraman Roland Totheroh. Last but not least, the special edition will also come with an essay by critic Pamela Hutchinson, who delves deeper into the legacy of the movie and Charlie Chaplin's work in general.
Criterion releases A Woman of Paris on DVD and Blu-ray on March 18, 2025.
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A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate
Release Date November 4, 1923
Director Charles Chaplin
Cast Edna Purviance , Clarence Geldart , Carl Miller , Lydia Knott , Charles K. French , Adolphe Menjou , Betty Morrissey , Malvina Polo , Charlie Chaplin , Bess Flowers , Henry Bergman , Granville Redmond
Runtime 78 Minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers Charles Chaplin
English (US) ·