Daughter of Charlie Chaplin and his fourth (and final) wife Oona O’Neill, who was the daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill — Geraldine Chaplin seemed destined for a career on stage. While she started with ballet and modeling, she settled on acting. Having been raised in Europe, she’s made many French and Spanish films, as well as Hollywood movies and TV shows. Let’s take a look at her historical costume work.
Tonya Gromeko in Doctor Zhivago (1965)
For her first film real film role (being a kid in dad’s flicks hardly counts), Geraldine Chaplin was a hit as the ditched wife in this blockbuster love story.
Mounia Golovine in J’ai tué Raspoutine (1967) aka I Killed Rasputin
Coincidentally also on the topic of the Russian Revolution, yet not quite so popular.
Purity Hoxworth in The Hawaiians (1970)
A sequel to Hawaii (1966) that continues the story of the islands’ colonization through the late 19th century.
Lisa in Carlos (1971)
Supposedly set in the “southwest of 1915.”
Queen Anna in The Three Musketeers (1973) & The Four Musketeers (1974)
Best wacky ruff EVAR!
The Sure Shot (Annie Oakley) in Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976)
A more historical western, at least by looks.
Suzan / Sara Glenn in Les uns et les autres (1981) aka Bolero
Released as both a five-part miniseries & a shorter theatrical movie, this spans several generations of European musicians & dancers starting before WWII.
Lily Bart in The House of Mirth (1981)
A well-reviewed TV movie version of the Edith Wharton novel.
Contessa Rachel Sangalletti in My Cousin Rachel (1983)
A BBC miniseries version of the Daphne Du Maurier novel.
Nina Soames in White Mischief (1987)
Set in 1940s Kenya & about a bunch of British expatriates, I just can’t with that movie title though.
Nathalie de Ville in The Moderns (1988)
Spiffy ’20s costumes in this comedy caper about art forgery.
Queen Anne in The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
I can neither confirm nor deny that this image is why I chose to do a WCW about Geraldine Chaplin.
Hannah Chaplin in Chaplin (1992)
Geraldine Chaplin played her own paternal grandmother in this biopic.
Mrs. Welland in The Age of Innocence (1993)
As the mother of Winona Ryder’s character & wearing stunning gowns by Gabriella Pescucci.
Adeline in Cousin Bette (1998)
OK, so it’s not much, but she’s the rich sister whose death kicks off the plot of this movie.
The Abbess in The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2004)
I have a DVD of this & eventually I will buy a player so I can review it here, promise!
Rottenmeier in Heidi (2005)
Don’t have much to say about this children’s movie ‘cept ‘nice bustle gown.’
Alma in L’imbroglio nel lenzuolo (2010)
An Italian comedy set in 1905.
Abileyza in There Be Dragons (2011)
Set during the Spanish Civil War, which was the 1930s, so I’m guessing her headgear is regional costume? Don’t know!
Alice in The Hollow Crown, Henry V (2012)
Lady in waiting to Catherine of Valois.
Queen Mother in Britannia (2019)
Doing some kind of dark deeds in three eps of this very silly series.
Wallis Simpson in The Crown (2019)
OK, just a smidge post our period at 1972, but this is such a great portrayal.
What’s your favorite historical role played by Geraldine Chaplin?
She is unrecognizable as Queen Anna in the Three Musketeers !
Either as Anne d/Autriche (Anne of Austria) or Ana of Spain, in the Musketeer movies; my wife and I were extras in Age of Innocence, but we were only there for the opera sequence, so never saw her work.
So cool that you were extras! I love Age of Innocence!
Charlie Chaplin’s daughter, Eugene O’Neill’s granddaughter! What a background!
I want so much to see this version of the House of Mirth but it seems to be unattainable. I liked her in Age of Innocence.
I love House of Mirth and I didn’t know this version existed. (!)
OK I didn’t even know Chaplain HAD a daughter. Loved her in The Crown!
Also, isn’t it meta, playing your own grandmother? But great casting.
She also played her mother in Chaplin.
Gosh, she kinda looks like Wallis. But I’m going with Mrs Welland and Anne d’Autriche. Gotta love the wacky ruff and a queen who has a goat cart.
Tangential. Quick question: Do you guys redact/bowdlerize the commentariat later on?
I highly recommend The Moderns. It’s an overlooked hoot and worth the price of admission for Wallace Shawn.
The Moderns is one of my absolute favorites. Directed by Alan Rudolph, with Montreal playing Paris in the 20’s. Haunting soundtrack and first rate, fanciful production values.
Geraldine plays a real ditz with a lovely wardrobe.
Not streaming anywhere. I bought the DVD…..
I’ve been watching Agatha Christie’s Marple television series (2004-2013) lately, and just this evening saw the second season episode Sleeping Murder. In a small but pivotal role, Geraldine Chaplin appears as a overbearing mother in the 1950s, with flashbacks to the 1930s. She commands the screen.
However, my favorite of her roles is Queen Anne, in the various Musketeer films.
It’s a tie between The Age of Innocence and The Crown because those are my favorites overall, but honestly, I barely remember her in either of those. My fave Geraldine Chaplin performance is her role as the ballet teacher in the contemporary Spanish film Habla Con Ella. Based on the pictures, the best pictures are from the Musketeers movies.
And mother of actress Oona Chaplin.
Oh, is she Oona Chaplin’s mother? You know, Robb Stark’s poor wife in Game of Thrones? I know Oona Chaplin is a grandaughter of Charlie but not who her parents are.
I love White Mischief. So beautiful and fabulous costumes in it !