Not many stars of film in the 1930s have been as influential or memorable as Charlie Chaplin and this romantic comedy of his is an excellent example of why he has become so legendary. City Lights is a fantastic little silent film that showcases Chaplin's talent in every way imaginable. While I have seen a handful of silent movies and quirky comedies of this time period before, I had yet to see any from the quintessential filmmaker himself. Thankfully, I was not disappointed as I found myself constantly entertained by his hilarious antics and surprisingly sweet story. When it comes to telling a simple story, Chaplin proves that audio is not always necessary and he is the epitome of a visual storyteller. Along with composing the music himself and embodying this goofy character better than anyone ever could, my first Chaplin feature was nothing short of a fascinating experience.
A man known only as the tramp (Charlie Chaplin) spends his days walking the city streets until he stumbles upon a young, blind girl (Virginia Cherrill) and promptly falls in love with her. However, she mistakes him for an eccentric millionaire (Harry Myers) and with the help of the rich man's money, the tramp swindles his way into paying for the girl's rent, medical bills, and eye surgery in order to prove his love for her. Back in the days when films would utilize title cards and transitions to tell their story, there is not really a way to judge the script of one of these films. While Chaplin did write this movie, there is not much I can critique about the writing because of how limited it is but what I can do is appreciate his amazing direction. His storytelling abilities are amazing and even with the limited scope of visual comedy, he pulls out every stop to make his film as compelling as possible. The way that he uses his physicality and quick, bodily movements to enhance the gags that he is a part of is so interesting to watch. Not only is it just pure fun but it is also wildly impressive how he and his crew were able to pull off such risky stunts and make them appear smooth. Chaplin's use of slapstick is great too and while his character of the tramp was seen in a multitude of different situations trying to raise money for the girl, he brings this talent to so many different aspects of the story. I was so impressed by how he tells this story without the need for any unnecessary bits of information and while I do feel like some of the scenes were shot purely for a gag and not as part of the story, they still managed to fit in flawlessly. Then again, I really do not have to defend Chaplin or try to convince people of thinking otherwise because his reputation as the master of silent comedy is proven once more throughout this film.
Along with all of the comedy elements, the romance in City Lights is done beautifully as well. As simple as it may be, two people falling in love solely through their first sight was adorable and seeing how the tramp went about proving his love for her is undoubtedly cute. I felt more for these characters and their relationship without really saying much to each other than I have about so many characters of the modern age and the fact that Chaplin was able to get me to feel this way is remarkable. The simplicity of love is something that he embodies throughout this movie and sometimes, that is all audiences need. This film never attempts to convey a deeper message or anything about society at the time that other silent films have and honestly, all the better for this one. While the cinematography from Gordon Pollock and Roland Totheroh was sharp and succinct, the music is what really stood out to me. Not only did Chaplin write, direct, and star in this film, but he has shown that he is a one-man team and even composed the entire score. The way that the music plays into the film and notifies the audience of something hidden or something subtle is extraordinary. The score was utilized perfectly during the action sequences and even better during the tender moments of love. Even though this is technically a silent film, there is so much sound and effects used in the music to help tell this story even better. It really is stupendous seeing how the filmmakers of this time pulled off these incredible stunts and even more impressive when a film can contain a concise story in it as well.
City Lights is a perfect, quick, rom-com that has everything its audience could ever ask for. While some of the jokes are a bit dated and did not hit as hard as others, there is no denying that this form of slapstick and romantic storytelling are blended beautifully by Chaplin. He is truly the king of the silent era and while plenty of his influence can be seen in comedy even up until today, I was genuinely taken aback by how much I enjoyed his blend of humor and romance.
My Rating: ★★★½
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