Week 5: City Lights (1931)

NOTE: I started this a few months earlier because I knew I’d get slammed during the holidays. Glad I did. Some friends and I are doing this 52 films in 52 weeks, and their links are below. This might be Week 1 for them, but it’s Week 5 for me- sorta. Consider my earlier stuff a dry run! Enjoy! Also, welcome anyone from the Johnsen clan! Whoohoo!

Before Viewing

I love silent movies. There is something about them that I find romantic in a nostalgic sense. It’s kind of weird for me to use the term nostalgic because those obviously weren’t the years of my youth or anything like that, but I get a sense of history when I see old silent pictures. I do have to admint, though, that I have never seen a Charlie Chaplin picture. I’m familiar with the character, of course, but most of the silents I’ve seen are ’serious’ pictures. I haven’t really done the silent comedy thing. I do know that this film is highly regarded as a classic, and since I SHOULD see at least one complete Chaplin picture, this is the one.

My Thoughts After Viewing

Technically, this isn’t a silent picture, although it was conceived and plays as one. It does have a soundtrack, but what I found humorous was that no one is allowed to speak in the film, apparently. At the beginning, when a bunch of politicians are giving speeches, we get the ol’ Charlie Brown adults trick- have a noise represent their words, because ultimately, it’s really not that important to know what they are saying. It was a nice touch, and I liked it. Even though this came out past the ‘dawn of talkies’, it still played like a silent, but it had the added bonus of using aural cues to enhance the storyline.

It’s a fun storyline, to be sure. Drunks were very comical back in the day, apparently. We have a drunk millionaire who takes The Tramp under his wing, feeds him, clothes him, and shows him a good time- but only when he’s drunk. We have a blind girl who falls in love with The Tramp (and the feelings are mutual), but it does come with a bit of mistaken identity. The Tramp shows his sensitive side as he falls in love, and as he makes sacrifices for the blind girl, all leading up to a very touching final scene (though I did think the ending was a bit abrupt, it IS satisfying).

The film has all the usual stuff you’d expect in a silent film- sight gags based on timing, melodramatic scenes, exaggerated gestures and more- but they really work in this film. One sight gag that really caught my eye occured at the beginning of the film, when we first see The Tramp. He’s been sleeping on this brand new statue (so new it’s being unveiled when he’s found), and as he tries to get down, it’s one sight gag after another, starting with him getting a sword right up the backside of his pants. I marveled at the fact that he never turned around once, but seemed to get the ‘trick’ right the first time. The film is filled with many such delights, and it’s a fun 88 minutes or so.

I will say this, though. As I watched the film, I really looked close at Chaplin. He really looks…. strange. I know that’s part of his charm/appeal as The Tramp, but I don’t know…. I’ve never really studied him before because this was the first film of Chaplin’s I’ve seen in entirety, but as I watch, I couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like without the makeup. Having time and distance on my side probably added to this feeling.

The Final Say

A great film, especially if you have an interest in silent pictures. I’m planning to see a few more Chaplin films, so I’m glad I got this one under my belt.

Others doing the 52-in-52 thing this week:

• Jeremy reviews Eagle Eye
• Jamie reviews Intolerance
• Neil reviewed Revolutionary Road