Movie #: 176 Title: City Lights 1931

Rating: 9.20

Director (last): Chaplin (first): Charles

Writer (last): Chaplin (first): Charles

Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed, edited, and composed the music for this silent era masterpiece, arguably one of the ten best films of all time. Chaplin is a tramp wandering around the big city, using his wits to survive. A poor blind girl mistakes him for a rich man and he impetuously tries to live up to the bluff. When he discovers that a potential cure for the girl's blindness exists, he tries to raise the money to get it for her. In the process, he is mistakenly accused of robbery and sent to jail-- but not before he gets the money to the girl. Years later, he is back on the street, even poorer and more pathetic than before. He stumbles into a flower shop-- and there is the girl. Her sight is restored thanks to the operation he paid for, but of course, she doesn't recognize him since she has never seen him. When some boys make fun of him, she chases them away and offers him a coin. Here, as she places it in his hand, she suddenly realizes.... A wonderful, wonderful film, and a consummate realization of all the best techniques and styles of the silent era. And when you watch a masterpiece like this, it is difficult not to agree with those who felt that the introduction of sound to films may have cost us more than it gained. Not impossible... but difficult.

Is this movie a "gem"? No

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Added: 1981-01-01 [yyyy-mm-dd]