The Charlie Chaplin MI5 files uncovered

The movie star Charlie Chaplin became the subject of an MI5 investigation after the US pressed for evidence linking him to communism, according to files released in the National Archives.

The files available online show MI5 was skeptical about American requests.

Edward Hampshire, Principal Records Specialist at The National Archives, explains what is contained in the files to the BBC's Gordon Corera.

Film clips courtesy of British Pathe