The Boot Cake

On a scale of 1-10 for weirdness THE BOOT CAKE almost takes the...er...cake. You won't believe this but it is true: (and that makes it a terrific documentary simply because the subject matter is genuinely so astonishing).....In India, (yes, rural India) there is a town where every year various men of all ages who adore Charlie Chaplin celebrate his birthday. The are called the Charlie Circle and their admiration of him is almost to the point of deification; to them he is a god because of the everyman philosophy in his silent films. One doctor prescribes dvds of Chaplin films to cheer up his patients and it seems to work as they get better though laughter. We are introduced to half a dozen Chaplin imitators (yes, all Indian) and they routinely entertain friends and villagers with their antics and physical comedy. THE BOOT CAKE is the edible celebration of this yearly festival and we are treated to a succession of master chefs in various Indian cake shops (!) who describe who they would make a cake in the shape of a boot....and to a parade by teen Chaplin apprentices (even one girl) and they celebrate together young and old and eventually enjoy the boot cake. It is all so eye popping in its beautiful information and truly glorious photography. THE BOOTCAKE is not a minute too long at 75 minutes and leaves the viewer with feeling they have glimpsed a world unlikely and unpredictable as we could imagine. The film is well narrated by Australian Kathryn Millard whose droll voice over suits the images. One major delight is the inclusion of many clips of iconic Chaplin features and astonishing international silent clips of Chaplin's other many film imitators of the 1920s. This silent movie footage of the past Chaplins, real and fake, is genuinely astonishing. As a documentary of a rural subculture in contemporary India this is a charming topic. You will laugh and shake you head in disbelief.... One particularly emotional scene is of the town square on the eve of the Chaplin Circle parade where they erect a screen and show THE GOLD RUSH to all the delighted kids.

The simplicity of the storytelling is a virtue here.

K.Millard's love of Chaplin powers this unusual journey through India, following the stories of Tramp impersonators and loving fans.

The film demonstrates why, nearly a century later, movie audiences around the world, still connect and vibrate with Chaplin, how his films about outcasts, gracefully fighting to survive in the most difficult and hopeless of circumstances, are still full of meaning and can make us laugh and cry.

Millard's pilgrimage could have been to Los Angeles or Switzerland, but by selecting India, she made, surprisingly, the perfect choice. You will enjoy this sweet, carefully crafted documentary, as if you were having a delicious cake, surrounded by your best friends.