Few films in cinematic history have withstood the test of time better than Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights. Undoubtedly one of his best, City Lights marked the end of the silent film era, though Chaplin subsequently made six more films.
City Lights stars Chaplin’s best known character, the Little Tramp, complete with iconic bowler hat, cane and oversized shoes. Out about town one afternoon, he meets a beautiful blind girl selling flowers on the sidewalk who mistakes him for a wealthy genProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0
eman. Although clearly smitten, he has no choice but to leave her after buying a flower. Of course, their fate is far from finished, and what unfolds is a beautifully poignant love story, rife with humor yet delicately permeated by the grimness of reality.
Chaplin struggled with this reality in many of his films (most overtly in Modern Times) as the United States became increasingly urban, industrial and consequently impersonal. In City Lights, however, he achieves the perfect juxtaposition of social commentary and character-driven storytelling; we deeply connect with the Little Tramp as he struggles to make the best of his circumstances.
Of course, Chaplin was a master of physical comedy, and there is no shortage of it here. But instead of pointless pratfalls, his style is so clever and his face so expressive that even the most basic jokes take on a less prosaic meaning. Rather than merely presenting humorous vignettes about city life, Chaplin weaves a complex tapestry. The compelling narrative and expertly orchestrated music make you quickly forget that you’re watching a silent film. Sometimes less is more.
