Life is desire - not meaning

Musso & Frank Grill has been a favorite haunt of Hollywood actors for over 100 years. The restaurant opened on September 27, 1919, and remains incredibly popular to this day.

When Musso & Frank opened its doors on iconic Hollywood Boulevard in 1919, it was at the center of a new universe: film entrepreneurs, new studios, rehearsal spaces, radio stations, and record labels all converged on the heart of Hollywood, so Musso's became a place for a quick bite between acting classes, radio appearances, or studio meetings and auditions.

Charlie Chaplin and friends Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Paulette Goddard, Groucho Marx, Mack Sennett, Buster Keaton, and others also frequented Musso & Frank Grill. Charlie would ride his horse to Musso's for his favorite lunch – grilled lamb kidneys with bacon, prepared by Musso's first chef, Jean Rue, who headed the kitchen for over 50 years.

Apparently, Charlie Chaplin – as legend has it – challenged Douglas to a horse race on Hollywood Boulevard, and the winner had to pay the bill at Musso's. Charlie won and enjoyed a plate of roasted lamb kidneys.

The restaurant had a clubby atmosphere back then, far from the naive and flashy establishments in the city.

When I saw this painting by Thomas Benjamin Kennington* I immediately thought of "City Lights".

It is on a corner like this, with wrought iron gates and a wall to sit on, “the tramp” first encounters the beautiful blind girl selling flowers.

Artist's work depicts much of the South London of Charlie Chaplin’s youth, Charlie threads through many of his films scenes reminiscent of his boyhood in South London.

Modern Times Charles Chaplin. 1936

Road 7592 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390, USA See in map

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France has begun, taking place at the Palais des Festivals from May 13 to May 24, 2025. This year, actress Juliette Binoche will be the head of the jury of the prestigious event.

This year's CANNES CLASSICS opened with a never-before-seen, 4K restored version of Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush. “As we celebrate 130 years since the invention of the Lumière brothers’ cinematograph, Chaplin’s much-loved classic — blending adventure, romance and comedy — will mark its centenary with a special premiere on the Croisette!” - said Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux. Following its Cannes premiere, the newly restored “The Gold Rush” will be released in cinemas worldwide simultaneously on 26 June. Organized by mk2, the global rollout will include more than 250 screenings spanning over 70 territories on the same day. To accompany the re-release, a new international poster has been unveiled, presenting a fresh design that aim to honour the timeless image of the Tramp. “We have been working on Chaplin’s oeuvre for nearly thirty years, with the goal of giving back to each and every film all the beauty originally imagined by its author,” said Gian Luca Farinelli, director of La Cineteca di Bologna. “Each of Chaplin’s feature films has etched itself into the memory, cultural formation, and sentimental education of several generations of people. What more can Chaplin tell us? To answer this question, one must watch his films and realize that contemporary audiences laugh at the very same scenes people laughed at a hundred years ago.” “We are delighted to see this centennial release made possible through our long-standing collaboration with mk2 Films, Cineteca di Bologna and L’Immagine Ritrovata, ensuring that audiences worldwide can rediscover the film with unparalleled clarity,” said Arnold Lozano, director of Roy Export. “Audiences will experience the film’s rich detail, emotional depth, and its perfect blend of adventure, comedy and romance on the big screen like never before.”

Frank Viva's cover of the latest (April 21, 2025) issue of The New Yorker, with its homage to the legendary globe scene in Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator, is pretty awesome.

At Essanay with the beautiful Edna Purviance by his side, she brought out the playful, caring and romantic side of him which was very different from the Keystone tramp who was introduced in 1914 who was vulgar, crude and a bit of a skirt chaser. Edna remained his only leading lady for his next approx. 34 films 1915-1923.