home | Psychology of Video Games | contact | about | RSS 
« Week 262: Snow |Main| Book Review: Grand Theft Childhood »
Movie Review: City Lights (1931) February 4, 2009
Note: This is #5 of my 52 Classic Movies in 52 Weeks challenge for 2009.
After seeing The Gold Rush I was somewhat enamoured with Charlie Chaplin's brand of silent comedy films. So when this 1931 movie, City Lights came up on my list, I dove right in. I don't think it's quite as good as The Gold Rush, but it's still pretty enjoyable.
The movie stars (again) Chaplin's Little Tramp character, who is penniless in the big city when he swoons for a poor blind girl selling flowers on the street. The girl mistakes Chaplin for a millionaire, and he is too stricken with her to tell her the truth. Chaplin actually befriends a real millionaire by talking him out of suicide (it's not as grim as it sounds the way it's played), and while his new friend is drunk he's Chaplin's best pal, but once he sobers up he amusingly can't remember a thing about him and continuously kicks him out. The balance of the movie is spent with Chaplin living it up with his new friend and pining after the flower girl who thinks Chaplin is rich himself and is about to be evicted for not being able to pay her rent.
Again, the movie is funny in spots as well as sweet. My favorite series of scenes is when a tipsy Chaplin and the drunk millionaire are partying it up at a swanky night club. There's lots of great visual gags involving cigars, chairs, noodles, and party streamers, and Chaplin's impeccable timing and subtle comedic acting is on full display. There's also a great sequence where Chaplin enters a rigged boxing tournament in order to earn money for the flower gir's rent. The jokes aren't quite as densely packed in as they are with The Gold Rush, but it's still good stuff.
And with this, I think I'm done with the silent era. Bring on the talkies!
Also, Jeremy reviewed Meet Me In St. Louis this week.
Comments (0) |
Permalink | 
File under:
Movies
Tags: Charlie Chaplin, City Lights, Movies
