Monsieur Verdoux (1947)★ 7.9/10

Its themes remain surprisingly relevant today. Although it’s not Chaplin’s most iconic work, it carries his signature foresight in exposing social hypocrisies. Through the character of Verdoux, we see humanity’s contradictions laid bare—he is ruthless toward the wealthy yet tender with his disabled wife and compassionate toward struggling women. Chaplin’s fascination with morality, society, and human frailty runs deep throughout the film.

The performances are finely detailed, and the comedy often relies on cleverly constructed coincidences. While some narrative choices feel a bit deliberate and the ending leans heavily into moralizing, the film’s critique is striking: killing one person makes you a murderer, yet economic systems that destroy millions escape judgment. It echoes the cynicism of “The Rules of the Game,” only Chaplin states it far more directly.