Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/20

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Subject: [Leica] Eugene Smith, Charlie Chaplin, and 6 Leicas
From: profmason at yahoo.com (John Edwin Mason)
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:12:36 -0800 (PST)

That American Photo story on W. Eugene Smith's shoot for Life on the set of 
Chaplin's "Limelight" got me thinking.

Smith own assessment of his work on the story was grim.  He thought that he 
had failed miserably.

After looking at the original Life essay, I wasn't so sure that he was right.

Well, if he was wrong, howcome?  (Nothing to do with the 6 Leicas, of 
course.)

After digging around in a couple biographies (and finding, among other 
things, letters he wrote to his mother about the episode and letters from 
Margery Smith, his lover and long-time companion), I've got an idea or two:

http://johnedwinmason.typepad.com/john_edwin_mason_photogra/2010/02/eugene-smith-charlie-chaplin.html

http://bit.ly/cOvg1X

--John

******************************
John Edwin Mason, Photography:
http://www.JohnEdwinMason.com
Charlottesville and Cape Town


Replies: Reply from hewthompson at mac.com (Hugh Thompson) ([Leica] Eugene Smith, Charlie Chaplin, and 6 Leicas)
Reply from s.dimitrov at charter.net (slobodan Dimitrov) ([Leica] Eugene Smith, Charlie Chaplin, and 6 Leicas)