As the creator of Charlot , Chaplin stood out as a comedian who marked an era. For the story, he leaves us with great works such as El Gran Dictador or Candilejas , films that cannot be absent from the collection of moviegoers.
85 inspiring quotes from Charles Chaplin
Chaplin was always a great defender of freedom and fought against Nazism from its origins. While he lived, he left great phrases and reflections to remember . Phrases about life, philosophical phrases, phrases that, even today, will serve as inspiration.
In the following lines you can find a compilation of the best phrases of Charles Chaplin. Enjoy them!
1. Look closely, life is a tragedy, but seen from afar, it looks like a comedy
A rhyming phrase. Talk about how complicated life can be sometimes .
2. Life is no longer a joke to me; I do not see grace
Another phrase with humor, but that speaks of sadness .
3. The worst thing about you is that you refuse to fight, you give up, you just think about illness and death. But there is something as inevitable as death and it is life!
A positive phrase from Charles Chaplin. Seeing things from the dark side is limiting.
4. I believe that faith is a forerunner of all our ideas. Without faith, hypothesis, theory, science, or mathematics could never have evolved.
A famous quote about faith and the evolution of human thought.
5. Life is a play that does not allow rehearsals; that’s why sing, laugh, dance, cry and live every moment of your life intensely … before the curtain goes down and the play ends without applause
A comparison between life and theater . The first does not have a written script, nor is it rehearsed.
6. I believe that faith is an extension of the mind. It is the key that denies the impossible. To deny the faith is to refute oneself and the spirit that generates all our creative forces. My faith is in the unknown, in everything that reason does not understand
Talk about faith and reason.
7. We are all amateurs. Life is so short that it does not give for more
Life is short , so you have to enjoy it.
8. After all, everything is a joke
Better to make a joke of life than to remain anchored in the negative.
9. As a man gets older, he wants to live deeply. A feeling of sad dignity invades his soul, and this is fatal for a comedian
When we feel deeply, we also cling to sadness.
10. By simple common sense I do not believe in God, in none
A phrase that expresses Chaplin’s opinion on religion
11. Happiness … does it exist? where? When I was a child I complained to my father because he had no toys and he responded by pointing to his forehead with his index finger: This is the best toy ever created. Everything is here. There is the secret of our happiness.
Chaplin reveals, in his opinion, the secret of happiness.
12. I am for the people. I can’t help it
Humans are complicated. But we are human.
13. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people
Charles Chaplin criticizing dictators during the Nazi era.
14. My sin was and still is, being a nonconformist
Chaplin claims to be a sinner because he didn’t settle for little.
15. The downside of being old is that you have no way to defend yourself
Age takes its toll as explained by Charles Chaplin.
16. I am only, I only remain one thing: a clown. That puts me on a higher plane than any politician
Chaplin claims that clowns are above politicians .
17. I am not a politician nor do I have political convictions. I am an individual and a believer in freedom. That’s all the politics i have
The best political belief is the one whose principle is the freedom of individuals.
18. Wars, conflicts, everything is business. Numbers sanctify, if you kill a few you are a criminal, if you murder thousands, you are a hero
A phrase that made a lot of sense in the time in which Chaplin lived, since he lived in times of Nazism.
19. I am at peace with God, my conflict is with man
Human beings can be really bad, explains Charles Chaplin.
20. Look Hannah, look up at the sky! The soul of man has been given wings, and he is flying towards the rainbow and the light of hope
A phrase that refers to freedom and hope.
21. In the light of our egos, we are all dethroned monarchs
A phrase by Charles Chaplin that invites you to reflect on the ego .
22. We all want to help each other. Human beings are like that. We want to live with the happiness of the other, not because of the misery of others
A phrase by Chaplin that talks about altruism and how human beings help each other.
23. Life is not meaning; life is desire
We all want many things in life. Desire is life itself .
24. I already forgave almost unforgivable mistakes, I tried to replace irreplaceable people and forget unforgettable people
When you can’t forget those who have hurt you.
25. Smile even if your heart hurts. Smile even if you have it broken. Even if there are clouds in the sky you will succeed, if you smile despite fear and pain. Smile and maybe tomorrow you’ll see the sun shining for you
Even if it’s wrong, you have to smile. Do not let sadness invade you .
26. To really laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it!
Controlling pain and emotions is one of the principles to be happy.
27. Laugh and the world will laugh with you; cry and the world, turning its back on you, will let you cry
When you have a positive attitude, the world rolls around you.
28. My pain may be the reason for someone’s laughter, but laughter should not be the reason for someone’s pain
A phrase by Charles Chaplin with a certain irony that invites you to think.
29. Laughter is a tonic, a relief, a respite that allows to calm the pain
Laughter and pain are incompatible . That is why you have to laugh often.
30. Never forget to smile, because the day you don’t smile, it will be a wasted day
If we are sad all day, we will feel sad. You have to smile.
31. When I started to love myself it seemed to me that the anguish and emotional suffering are just warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, it’s about “authenticity.”
Sometimes it is difficult to love yourself, but it is the way to well-being.
32. You have to believe in yourself, there is the secret. Even when I was in the orphanage and roaming the streets looking for something to eat to live on, even then, I considered myself the greatest actor in the world. Without absolute self-confidence, one is destined for failure.
Self-confidence is the key to success in every way.
33. Be you, and try to be happy, but above all, be you
Being yourself is the way to happiness. So you have to be yourself.
34. Look up at the sky, you will never find the rainbow if you are always looking down
Always keep your head held high , even in bad times.
35. I am what I am: an individual, unique and different
A phrase from Chaplin about individual differences.
36. There is nothing permanent in this evil world. Not even our problems
Problems don’t last forever, so you don’t have to indulge in them.
37. Words are cheap. The biggest thing you can say is elephant
An ironic phrase about the ease of saying things . The real thing is to do them.
38. Time is the best author: it always finds a perfect ending
A phrase about patience and waiting. Time heals all.
39. The saddest thing I can imagine is getting used to luxury
Chaplin and his aversion to the opulent life.
40. Don’t wait for your turn to speak; really listen and you will be different
On the importance of listening . Before speaking you have to know how to listen.
41. Learn as if you were going to live your whole life, and live as if you were going to die tomorrow
Life has to be lived with intensity , because you only live once.
42. Working is living and I love living
Work is health , work gives meaning to life. To work is to live.
43. Despair is a narcotic: it induces the mind in indifference
Always being with a negative mind hurts and paralyzes us.
44. Remember, as long as you can bend over and not pick anything up
A philosophical phrase in the style of this famous character in history.
45. The authentic creator disdains the technique understood as an end and not as a means
A phrase that talks about people who have a creative mindset.
46. The true meaning of things is found by trying to say the same things with other words
When you understand something, then you can explain it in other words.
47. Imagination does not mean anything without doing
To give life to the imagination you have to act . Otherwise, it will be just a thought.
48. Why does poetry have to make sense?
Poetry is an expression of the soul. An expression of its own and deep .
49. I always like to walk in the rain, so no one can see me cry
Walking in the rain, tears go unnoticed.
50. We think too much, we feel too little
You have to feel more and think less, says Charles Chaplin.
51. Life is wonderful if you are not afraid of it
Fear does not allow us to live life with all its intensity.
52. You have to have faith in yourself. Therein lies the secret. Even when I was in the orphanage and walking the streets looking for something to eat for a living, even then, I considered myself the greatest actor in the world.
You have to believe in yourself because otherwise you are dead . You have to believe in yourself even if things turn against you.
53. Without absolute self-confidence, one is destined for failure.
A phrase similar to the previous one . Self-confidence leads to success.
54. Without having known misery it is impossible to know luxury
We don’t value things if we haven’t suffered enough in this life.
55. The day man realizes his mistakes, the progress of science will be over
Human beings are often wrong. It is part of life .
56. Maybe it was you, but it wasn’t the time
A phrase that exemplifies what we can feel when we love someone but the relationship has not worked
57. When I started to love myself I freed myself from everything that was not good for my health: people, things, situations and everything that pushed me down
Sometimes, to be happy , you have to change habits and the things that harm you in this life
58. Einstein said to Chaplin: “What I have always admired about you is that your art is universal; everyone understands and admires him. To which Chaplin replied: -His is much more worthy of respect: everyone admires him and practically nobody understands him.
A phrase from Chaplin about admiration.
59. Fight to live life, to suffer it and to enjoy it …
Life is a constant struggle . But in this fight there is happiness and sadness.
60. If you don’t dream, you will never find what is beyond your dreams
A philosophical phrase that talks about the importance of setting goals and dreaming.
61. This is a ruthless world and you have to be ruthless to survive in it
Reflection on individualism that dominates the way of relating.
62. I hate governments, rules and shackles
Chaplin declared himself an anarchist ideologically.
63. In the end, everything is a gag
Charlie Chaplin compares life to a humorous cartoon, taking epic from the vital story.
64. More than cunning, we need kindness
Lack of ethics produces deep crises
65. You will discover that life is worth it if you smile
Something as simple as smiling can make a difference
66. To really laugh, you must be able to shake off the pain and play with it
Distancing ourselves from personal dramas makes us stronger
67. Simplicity is something difficult to achieve
The simple, paradoxically, is a challenge if you want to get there.
68. Life greets you when you make others happy
Sharing happiness has a positive impact on yourself.
69. If I don’t write every day, I feel like I don’t deserve my food
Charlot talks about his need for improvement and productivity.
70. The true character of a man appears when he is drunk
Disinhibition can bring out honesty.
71. Life is a magnificent thing, even for a jellyfish
The advantages of life are expressed even in the simplest forms of life.
72. The essence of a great actor is that he loves himself by acting
Chaplin reflects on the sensations that characterize the actors .
73. I don’t think the public knows what they want
A reflection on the role of the spectator before the work of actors, directors and screenwriters.
74. The mirror is my best friend because it never laughs when I cry
Another of Charlie Chaplin’s phrases with a tragic lyricism.
75. All I need to make humor is a park, a policeman and a beautiful woman
A gag requires a few simple ingredients.
76. I believe in the power of laughter and tears as an antidote to hatred and terror
The most basic emotions can serve to bring everyone together.
77. Cinema is a fad, the public prefers to see actors on stage
A phrase by Chaplin that seen in hindsight is comical.
78. I have many problems, but my lips do not know it because I always smile
A positive attitude can make a difference.
79. That’s what we are: amateurs. We don’t live long enough to be something else
Rehearsing during life is not enough to master it.
80. Be more concerned with your conscience than with your reputation; because the first is what you are, and the second is what others think you are
What others think of you is your problem.
81. My only enemy is time
A phrase that reflects the eroding power of time .
82. You can always stoop to not get to pick up anything
Effort does not always pay off
83. I am an individual and I believe in freedom; that’s all the politics in me
The political ideology of this artist focused on basic and universal ideas.
84. Life is a wish, not a meaning
Charlot talks about what, for him, characterized life; lack of meaning.
85. If people know how to do it, magic appears
A reflection on human potential.