The break up off Charlie and Edna

[stuart.uk]

I think it shows on screen Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance had a deep affection for each other. They were for a while an item, but I think it broke up with Edna straying because of Charlie's work commitments. However, as far as I believe she was devasted by the break-up, but continued as his leading lady for many years.

I was wondering who suffered the most because of the brake-up, Charlie or Edna. In the short term it might have been Charlie, his marraiges to both Mildred Harris and Lita Grey were shot-gun weddings, both ending in bitter divorces. It reminds me of the Stan Laurel quote Charlie should have married Edna.

However, if Charlie had married Edna, it's not like he would have got involved with Paulette Goddard, wife no 3. Though the marraige broke up. he and Paulette remained life long friend's. And again he probably would have missed out on the great love of his live Onna O'Neil, wife no 4, who stayed by his side for the rest of his life, giving him 8 children. I wonder to how Charlie would have cope with Edna's health problems in later life, instead of being married to a young healthy Onna.

In the long term it may have been Edna who suffered. I think I'm right in saying she never married and had no children. That doesn't mean she wasn't happy and contented life, but she appears to have been devoted to Charlie her whole life, despite long gaps when they never saw each other.

[charliechaplinfan]

Charlie tells it that she betrayed him with Thomas Meighan.

I believe if they had have married the marriage would have lasted longer than Chaplin's first two marriages but I don't think it would have been a match for life, I don't think he was capable of a long standing relationship when he as younger. He didn't sustain a relationship with his sons until Paulette came along. With Paulette he got a contentment, with Oona he found true love. Hearing that relationship spoken of by others, it's clear they had a very strong love and bond to one another.

That's my opinion, of course we'll never know. Edna and Charlie are very charismatic on screen especially in the Mutual comedies.

[stuart.uk]

Alison

Go you like me keep in touch with Linda Wada who runs The Edna Purviance Paradise web-site.

Did you watch Claire Bloom in the recent New Tricks episode. I got the impression she was playing a character 20-yrs younger than she actually is.