1952: Limelight

Here's one for the gender studies people: Chaplin plays a formerly famous comedian who happens to save a young and beautiful ballerina when she tries to kill herself. After he's taken her in, she naturally develops an interest in the old man, at one point kneeling down in front of him to get his shoes off in a manner that suggests routine. When she lands a top job, he suffers silently; when she thinks she can't perform on an important occasion - dance, I mean - he smacks her one and everything goes well. Seriously, what is one to make of this? (unrated)