The Circus (1928 film)

The Circus
Original US poster by Alvan "Hap" Hadley
Directed by	Charlie Chaplin
Written by	Charlie Chaplin
Produced by	Charlie Chaplin
Starring	Charlie Chaplin Al Ernest Garcia Merna Kennedy Henry Bergman
Cinematography	Roland Totheroh
Music by	Arthur Kay (1928 version) Charlie Chaplin (1967 version)
Distributed by	United Artists
Release dates	January 6, 1928 (1928-01-06) (New York) January 27, 1928 (1928-01-27) (Los Angeles)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent film English intertitles
Box office	$3.8 million (worldwide rentals)[1]

The Circus is a 1928 silent romantic comedy film written, produced, and directed by Charlie Chaplin. The film stars Chaplin, Al Ernest Garcia, Merna Kennedy, Harry Crocker, George Davis and Henry Bergman. The ringmaster of an impoverished circus hires Chaplin's Little Tramp as a clown, but discovers that he can only be funny unintentionally.

The production of the film was the most difficult experience in Chaplin's career. Numerous problems and delays occurred, including a studio fire, the death of Chaplin's mother, as well as Chaplin's bitter divorce from his second wife Lita Grey, and the Internal Revenue Service's claims of Chaplin's owing back taxes, all of which culminated in filming being stalled for eight months.^[2] The Circus was the seventh-highest grossing silent film in cinema history taking in more than $3.8 million in 1928.^[1] The film continues to receive high praise. The film's copyright was renewed, so it entered the public domain on January 1, 2024.^[3]