Mary and Max: An Unlikely Comedy

Chaplin hoped to have the audience truly care about his character, and that is exactly how one feels while watching Mary and Max.  The audience truly feels for both Mary and Max. We are sad and feel pity for the two, but we still find ourselves laughing at their mistakes. As an example, in the first phase of their correspondence, as Mary is making mistakes while reading Max’s letter, we feel for the circumstances Max writes about, but at the same time laugh at Mary’s misunderstanding.  Another example is when we hear of how the latest Henry the fish died. We know that these are sad events for Max, but still think they are funny, such as when puts the mixer in the fish bowl.

I feel this was a very effective means of telling the story of these unlikely friends. Through the letters we feel sympathy but also humor as each character tells their story to the other. This was a great way of telling the story rather than showing us each characters life through the eyes of someone else. Who better to tell a story about Mary (or Max) than Mary (or Max)?

I found that the end, though not the happy ending I would have wanted to see, because I am sappy that way, was very effective in balancing our emotions. The audience is shocked, and happy to see that Mary has a baby, and excited that she will finally meet Max in person, but as she enters and we realize he has passed away, we are saddened. But as Mary looks up to see all of her letters on Max’s ceiling, and his head up in that direction as he died, we know that he died with his best friend right there with him, even though they never met.  Our sadness is instantly transformed to happiness as we share in Mary’s joy. She realized she had what she was always looking for, a friend, and also she was able to be what Max had always wanted, a friend.