City Lights

Alright, This now the oldest film i have reviewed on this blog. City Lights is movie that comes from the fabled era often feared by the average film goer as "The Silent Film Era" typically these films were not completely silent as there was indeed musical accompaniment (even if it was live) as well as cued sound effects if necessary. In an era where our culture is so accustomed to digital music and sound based films or "talkies" as they used to be called, it is easy to see why silent films are so off putting to the modern audience. but man after watching a hand full of these films i have to say they are quite good and in many ways better than some of the content we see today, and the best of them all, belongs to Charlie Chaplin.  What makes this film and it's leading man so great? Lets dive in and find out. 

Our story begins with a tramp( played here by Charlie Chaplin, as we follow him through his daily life on the city streets. One day he comes across a blind flower lady whom he immediately falls in love with her, but is too shy to say anything. That night he comes across a drunken millionaire who is attempting to commit suicide, with a little help The tramp is able to talk him out of it. and the two go out for  alight on the town. the following morning The Tramp gets a hold of the millionaires car and uses it to impress the blind flower girl, only to find out that she is on the verge of being evicted for late rent money. And so the Tramp sets out to raise the money necessary to not only save the flower girl but also to pay for a surgery that could cure her blindness. 

So what is it that makes the film such a special movie, that trumps many of our modern cinema.  well for one thing the delivery is spectacular. in a film where emotions and communication can not be made verbal, it becomes even more necessary to express those feelings physically. These characters who don't even happen to names; they are simply archetypes int his film. what makes them so unique and so compelling is the delivery of the actors. when ever Chaplin is on screen he makes this seemingly dim whited character so powerful and so lovable you can't help but care about him in this film. the blind girl her part so well that we can se why the Tramp goes to her as this angelic icon; even the suicidal millionaire plays the character run such a way that we find him funny rather than just a really depressing character. the action of a silent film is what makes it good or bad, which brings me to. 

The comedy in this film is top notch. Not only is it great, but it also holds up significantly well. It's not going to be the rolling on the floor cackling type of humor but it will make you smile and chuckle quite a bit. the films comedy comes from its charm, the characters are what makes the comedy great, they way in which these characters interact with each other while also interacting with the environment around them is also great. some of the funniest stuff by far can be found between the millionaire and the tramp. I just loved how pathetic the millionaire was, the contrast between the two is so absurd and so different that it makes for great  physical comedy, especially when you throw severe  drunkenness into the mix. the other great scene is the boxing scene in which the tramp attempts to enter a fixed boxing match for money only to find his opponent has been replaced. and weirdly the Tramps choice to unsuccessfully flirt with the other boxer is by far the strangest and most hilarious scene I've seen in movie. it's just so strange and so out of left field you can't help but crack up at it. 

So I've been narrowing it down to this  what truly makes the film special. Charlie Chaplin himself. Considered by many to be the greatest comedic actor of al time, Chaplin's performance as the Tramp has emerged in several movies but it is in City Lights that i have truly loved this character. Chaplin had a profound way of bringing a lot of heart into a character that is meant to be mostly schtick.  But the man was so well talented at making you fall in love with his characters. the way in which the Tramp is so willing to go out of his way for the people he barely knows makes him so beyond normal and yet so lovable. a scene in particular that comes to mind is when the tramp is about to go to prison. he goes over to see the blind girl so that he can give her the money he earned for her. we see this beautiful moment where she asks if she'll see him again,  his reaction to the way he looks at her, his inner monologue. it's just so beautiful and tragic, two things id never expect to say about a comedy!

And thats City Lights. It's such a shame that people are so turn doff by silent films because based not he ones I have seen, they're more than excellent. besides City Lights, films such as Buster Keaton's The General, Nosforatu, and Metropolis are great films. there is something about the steps silent films must take in order to convey their message. it's an incredible exercise in communication, as well as acting. as a whole City Lights is a charming piece of American cinema. and a must see for anyone willing to give the old way of filming a chance.