January 2010
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This month's DVDs are The Gold Rush (1925) and Modern Times (1936). Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) has been called the single most influential artist in motion picture history and one of the greatest-if not the greatest-comedian of all time. He did it all-actor, director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. From 1917 to 1936, he made many of the funniest and most popular films of this time. Chaplin is most recognized as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular Little Tramp character; the nave and loveable man with the toothbrush mustache, raggedy suit, undersized bowler hat, bamboo cane, and funny walk. Chaplin said that the tramp character was "a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure." Two of his most popular films featuring the Little Tramp are The Gold Rush and Modern Times. | |
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The Gold Rush (1925) is considered by many to be Charlie Chaplin's greatest masterpiece. The Little Tramp travels to Alaska to take part in the gold rush, pitting him against the Yukon, the affections of a lonely saloon girl (Georgia Hale), and the whims of a burly prospector (Mack Swain). This timeless silent film abounds with classic comedy scenes, including the dance of the rolls (see film clip), the eating of a leather boot, and a cabin tottering on the edge of a cliff. In 1942, Chaplin reedited and released a new version of the film, adding his narration and an orchestral score which he had composed. Chaplin declared that this was the film by which he most wished to be remembered.
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Modern Times (1936) marked Charlie Chaplin's return to the screen after a five-year break and his last silent film. He had been resistant to making a "talkie," but he did incorporate synchronized sound effects and music (including the song, "Smile") in the film. Chaplin returns as the Little Tramp, now a factory worker on an assembly line. After being used as a guinea pig for a new "feeding machine," he suffers a mental breakdown and is taken to a hospital. He is eventually released, but is then mistaken for a communist leader. The film costars Paulette Goddard, who was Chaplin's wife at the time, as the orphan girl. Modern Times examines modern industrialization and its effects on workers and society as a whole. It is often hailed as one of Chaplin's greatest achievements, and it remains one of his most popular films. |
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Written by Christine Zuger and Ben Davis