One of a handful of great film books.

Born into a theatrical family, Chaplin’s father died of drink while his mother, unable to bear the poverty, suffered from bouts of insanity. Chaplin embarked on a film-making career which won him immeasurable success, as well as intense controversy.

His extraordinary autobiography was first published in 1964 and was written almost entirely without reference to documentation - simply as an astonishing feat of memory by a 75-year-old man. It…