City Lights (1931)
Country: US
Technical: bw 87m silent
Director: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers
Synopsis:
A tramp falls in love with a flower girl, who inconveniently mistakes him for a wealthy man, and saves a suicidal millionaire, who only recognises him sober.
Review:
One of Chaplin's masterpieces, this also shows only too well his tendency to descend to sentiment at times. However, there are sequences of sheer genius to compensate, such as his reveal on the statue at the opening, the boxing match, or the final payoff with the flower. Old routines and gags are brought out with new levels of refinement, and, given the quantity of material shot, the grip on narrative is firm. Chaplin's music is also first rate, and though the film of course seems dated in its technique for 1931 (it was years in the making), it uses sound in a comically supporting role.
Country: US
Technical: bw 87m silent
Director: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers
Synopsis:
A tramp falls in love with a flower girl, who inconveniently mistakes him for a wealthy man, and saves a suicidal millionaire, who only recognises him sober.
Review:
One of Chaplin's masterpieces, this also shows only too well his tendency to descend to sentiment at times. However, there are sequences of sheer genius to compensate, such as his reveal on the statue at the opening, the boxing match, or the final payoff with the flower. Old routines and gags are brought out with new levels of refinement, and, given the quantity of material shot, the grip on narrative is firm. Chaplin's music is also first rate, and though the film of course seems dated in its technique for 1931 (it was years in the making), it uses sound in a comically supporting role.
Country: US
Technical: bw 87m silent
Director: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers
Synopsis:
A tramp falls in love with a flower girl, who inconveniently mistakes him for a wealthy man, and saves a suicidal millionaire, who only recognises him sober.
Review:
One of Chaplin's masterpieces, this also shows only too well his tendency to descend to sentiment at times. However, there are sequences of sheer genius to compensate, such as his reveal on the statue at the opening, the boxing match, or the final payoff with the flower. Old routines and gags are brought out with new levels of refinement, and, given the quantity of material shot, the grip on narrative is firm. Chaplin's music is also first rate, and though the film of course seems dated in its technique for 1931 (it was years in the making), it uses sound in a comically supporting role.