City Lights (Classic Movie Series, #4)

This is the fourth in my series of classic movie reviews. To read other reviews of classic films, click here.

“City Lights” was Charlie Chaplin’s last silent film, and his best. Made in 1930, Chaplin could’ve made it with sound, but chose not to. This should be seen as an artistic choice, not a fear of change or technology; Chaplin went on to make several very good movies with sound (including “Modern Times” and “The Great Dictator,” two of his best.) But The Tramp is essentially a silent character, and “City Lights” is his final manifesto in silence.

The movie begins with a sendup of “talkies;” politicians and VIPs attend the unveiling of a statue and make big important speech – that come out as gibberish and noise. Then the veil lifts from the statue, and there is the Tramp, asleep in its lap. This “unveiling” of our beloved hero sets up the theme that runs throughout “City Lights,” which is about who sees the Tramp, how they see him, and how they respond to what they see.

Chaplin’s Tramp is iconic because he basically exists outside of society. He sees everybody, loves everybody, but isn’t anybody. Unlike Buster Keaton’s variety of characters, who always demanded respect and took their place in the order of things, Chaplin simply takes what’s given him, whether it’s acceptance or scorn, disgust or amusement. He acts as a mirror and a foil to the people around him, showing them who they are by how they treat him.

But my gosh, the way I’m talking about “City Lights,” you’d think it was some kind of French symbolist arthouse flick. This is comedy, great comedy, incredibly funny and fun filmmaking. If you see “City Lights,” you’ll be more likely to remember the great gags and slapstick humor than any of this high minded stuff I’m talking about. All the same, it’s still there, and arguably it’s what makes the film great. Yeah, that and the comedy.

The Tramp falls in love with a blind flowergirl. Through an accident of circumstance, she becomes convinced he’s wealthy. Then he meets a wealthy man, drunk and about to throw himself into the river with a rock tied around his neck. The Tramp stops him, with one of the greatest title cards ever: “Tomorrow, the birds will sing.” In the process, he manages to the the rope with the rock on it tied around his own neck, and in the comedy that follows, each takes turns saving the other’s life. They emerge best friends, and paint the town red. In the morning, the Millionaire has no idea who he is and sends hiim away. But in the evening, he’s drunk again, and they’re best friends again.

Because of his association with the Milionaire, the Tramp is able to keep up the illusion of being wealthy in front of the blind girl. He never really lies to her, he just lets her believe as she will. But then the Millionaire goes away to Europe, the blind girl gets sick, can’t pay her rent, and the Tramp tries boxing to raise some money for her.

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ady5nodkA]

Things go pretty bad for him after that; the millionaire gets robbed, and blames in on the Tramp, who he doesn’t recognize because he’s sober. But before he’s shipped off to jail, the Tramp is able to get the blind girl the money she needs not only to stay off the street, but also to get her eyes fixed.

And now I’m going to break one of my own rules. I usually won’t show the endings of movies as part of a review, but “City Lights” has one of the best, sweetest, most tear-jerking and memorable endings in all of cinema. If you never see the movie, you still should see this ending. So here you go.

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsaLq1jo9fc]
Back to the heavy themes, just for a moment. The Millionaire, perhaps because of his great importance and place in society, can only “see” the Tramp when he’s drunk. The blind girl, on the other hand, when she can finally literally see him, can also see the kind of person she is. Surprised that he’s not a wealthy man, she accepts him as he is, knowing, perhaps, that his kindness to her means that much more, because it was costly to him.

Charlie Chaplin always named “City Lights” his personal favorite of all his films. I think it is the film that most clearly and artfully portrays the Tramp, and his role in society; a clown, a descendant of the court jester, a silent commentator and mirror held up to the rest of the world. “City Lights” is a masterpiece, and the last great film of the Silent era.

Is it great because it’s important? Well, on one hand,I don’t think it’s particularly innovative or inventive. The techniques being used were intentionally behind the cutting-edge films of the day, and that’s part of its charm. On the other hand, Chaplin is an icon, and was, at one time, the most recognizable face on earth. So it’s culturally significant, without a doubt.

Is it great because it’s fun to watch? Yes, absolutely. On top of being funny and charming, poignant and moving, it carries a depth and meaning lacking in most comedies, of any time period. It is truly one of the greatest films ever made.