The famous tramp, Charlie Chaplin, is such an icon that I’ve seen references to him almost everywhere. The charm and comedy of Chaplin is undeniable, but what is more interesting is his skill as a filmmaker, as an artist. Indeed, Tarkovsky who I recently reviewed saw Chaplin as one of the greatest and most poetic filmmakers of all time, and this came from a man who generally hated Hollywood and the studio system. One of my favourite films of all time is the hilarious and poignant The Gold Rush (Charles Chaplin, 1925). Indeed, Chaplin has all the elements that makes one an auteur; he writes and directs all his films, star in them and created the iconic character of the little tramp. I was quite looking forward to seeing City Lights.
City Lights is seen as one of Chaplin’s greatest masterpieces. And indeed, the film consists of all the elements that make a great Chaplin film. It is very funny, but still has place for heartfelt emotions. His films also have a slightly dark undercurrent, and are sometimes quite depressing, albeit making fun of this depression, which is one of the main things that makes his films so poignant. One thing about City Lights that is notable is that, while most of Hollywood was turning towards talkies, Chaplin continued to make his films silent. I think that such an iconic character, which made his name on his physicality, this was a good call on Chaplin’s side, although The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940) was an astounding achievement even though it was a talkie. The physical humour is fantastic in this, from the first scene where the tramp causes havoc at a gathering, going out to drink and eat with a wealthy drunk, or in the famous boxing sequence. Much of the best comedy, though, works by juxtaposition of sentimental moments with silly gags at the expense of the tramp. For example when he is deeply in love and a cat knocks over a flowerpot that hits his head. These kinds of gags make the film stronger, as it manages to create an assortment of emotions while yet keeping the humour up throughout the whole film and creating a strong bond between the audience and the protagonist. Most comedies, not just today, but ever, have always had a hard time doing this. The tramp character is silly, but ever resourceful, set on his tasks and never gives up. Chaplin early on clearly sets out the characters goal, and he sticks to this throughout the whole film. This kind of persistence is what makes him so lovable for audiences, even today.
The film is sweet at heart, but there is also some darkness in there. This was made during the depression, and this fits well with the tramp. A great scene, which symbolises this in a great way, is where the tramp has acquired fine clothing and an expensive car, yet he has no money. He sees a rich man on the street throw a cigar on the street. Chaplin charges for this and takes it, beating another tramp to it, goes back into his car, exchange looks with the other tramp and drives off. It is a hilarious moment, but also has some true resonance for the time. The film is a love story, and a sweet one at that. The tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl, a very interesting choice for a love interest. This creates further resonance and bonding with the audience, as they identify with the tramp trying to help someone fairly helpless. Another highlight of the film is the tramps friendship with the rich man. Although it is a fairly unstable friendship, as the rich man only recognises the tramp when he is drunk. When he wakes up sober, he becomes a mean man who usually throws the tramp out of his house. The tramps confusion over this is hilarious. Audiences love to know more than the characters, and Chaplin has often recognised this to create some very funny situations. Chaplin’s timing is also for most of the time impeccable. Particularly when the tramp is walking back and forth on a sidewalk, and right behind there is a trap door in the pavement that opens and closes. This creates great expectation with the audience, then retracts it, and gives it again. Chaplin is also a master of sustaining a laugh, repeating gags with subtle differences and makes them seem fresh every time. But at the heart of his films, what is important with Chaplin is the poignant moments, and while the comedy is great, it is these poignant moments which elevates his films above the rest, and become more than mere comedies for a laugh.
City Lights is a great film, a masterpiece in fact. It has the perfect blend of humour and subtlety, with the charm and naivety of the tramp as a way of driving the film forward. These are some of the reasons why Chaplin is still so well remembered today, because he can create great emotional resonance in his audience, unlike almost all other comedians and comedy films. They are more than comedy films, and I hope to see more of these great films.
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