Blogpost by Dr. Mariana Sabino-Salazar „Chaplin: The Spirit of the Tramp“ (2025): A Romaniness Balancing Act
In a striking sequence of The Circus (1928), Chaplin balances on a tightrope, a visual metaphor for his effort to reconcile with his Romani identity. Based on the same idea, the poster of the documentary Chaplin: The Spirit of the Tramp (2025), directed by Charles Chaplin’s granddaughter Carmen, presents a still of the last scene where Charles’ son Michael walks barefoot on a seawall. Fame and wealth allowed the Chaplins to rediscover and celebrate their Romani roots, while many ethnic Romanies in multiracial societies strategically mask their identity to avoid stigmatization.
In her review Dr. Mariana Sabino-Salazar poses the the question what the limits of Romani ancestry are. Can people with Romani great-great-grandparents can represent and speak for other ethnic Roma, and is that representation contingent on fame?
