One of Chaplin's funniest and quite well done. Chaplin performs amazingly again and his story tells a great and fun romance for his little tramp character. The music is enjoyable and fits the scenes well. A good look into the time period.
I cannot say that 'City Lights' is Chaplin's funniest film. His movies are ALL consistently and delightfully hilarious: 'The Kid'', 'the Circus, 'the Gold Rush', and 'Modern Times'. It's hard to measure the laughs of any Chaplin movies against each other, because all of his silent feature films are ingeniously and genuinely funny. They all are a great viewing experience and deserve a look.
City Lights, however, may be his finest film overall. I had seen enough Chaplin movies to finally read up on a couple of books about the artist: it was in these books that I found out that Chaplin had shot the ending for 'City Lights' many times over in order to get it right.
Mr. Chaplin knew what he wanted and he managed somehow to truly deliver the goods: 'City Lights' had totally taken my breath away upon first viewing, and even as I watch the film again and again it still leaves me speechless.
City Lights is the #1 Romantic Comedy according to AFI and I agree hands down. If you enjoy the genre this masterpiece is a must see. It will make you laugh, cry and it will linger in your thoughts long after watching it. How many movies can do that?? Not many.
what a great film. leave it to chaplin to make a successful silent film in the sound era, even mocking the talkies at the beginning. the little tramp befriends an alcoholic millionaire who conveniently never remembers him when sober. and that's just for starters. the boxing scene is some of the funniest stuff i've seen in any film ever. and that ending, well...
This movie is so much more than a romantic comedy. It is the apex of physical comedy. The whistle gag had me laughing so hard I cried. The dramatic scenes are also done to perfection, so it's not a string of skits put together in movie format. It is a truly realized masterpiece.
Often hailed as Charlie Chaplin's finest film, City Lights tells the story of a bum who falls in love with a blind flower vendor. The girl mistakes him for a millionaire and Chaplin spends the film trying to portray himself as one often going to great lengths to do so.
Obviously, Charlie Chaplin is the principal actor in this. In addition to acting, Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and scored the film. Chaplin does a fairly decent job in the roles he's given. While this film is a silent film, it was made in the era of talking pictures and from time to time Chaplin makes use of the new technology to bolster the effect of this silent picture.
Of particular importance in this film is the last scene. Often cited as perhaps the greatest scene in any movie, it does not disappoint. Honestly, I was not particularly impressed by the scene at first viewing but I went ahead and rewatched it after reading about it and it is reasonably impressive. I wouldn't say it's the greatest scene I've ever seen, but still rather well done.
While I did find this enjoyable, this is neither my favorite silent film (that would be Battleship Potemkin) nor is it my favorite Chaplin film (that remains The Great Dictator), this is still pretty good. Absolutely a must-see for any Chaplin fan or for anyone looking to get acquainted with silent films.
If the ending doesn't make you cry, you have no soul.
Endlessly brilliant, funny, and so delightful; no matter how many times I watch it, it remains fresh, and further proves the genius of Charles Chaplin.
Arguably Chaplin's greatest silent, "City Lights" is a true masterpiece. With the universal message that love is blind, "City Lights" is a comedy that could make you cry (if you're the type--I personally never cry during movies).
The hole theme of the movie is materialism, but at the end Charlie gives us what is the most cheapest yet most valuable thing a person can give: a Smile! That ending is breathtaking, when you see The Tramp smiling, you can't help but drop a tear or two. Its the pay-off of the movie, the pay-off to The Tramp's sacrifice and strugles throughout the movie . If you haven't seen it: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?
With City Lights Chaplin created his masterpiece. The one film of his amongst dozens of great films that will stand out as being his absolute best. I am not the only one who shares this sentiment, and I'm sure I am not the last person who is going to discover this film and witness its brilliance in their lifetime.
I am sure that there are people out there who would disagree with me, giving the nod to films like The Gold Rush or The Great Dictator. But really all that does is speak volumes about the consummate performer that Chaplin was. He is one in a million, a man whom anyone all over the world can recognize. Any person who could watch his films without feeling anything couldn't possibly have a heart. That's the real reason why he was such an amazing filmaker, his ability to make you laugh and then sympathize with him the next. He always had a certain number of elements to his films that made them stand out amongst the rest, he was a storyteller through and through.
That's the reason why City Lights is his most moving and involved film, because he takes all of those elements (the pathos, the slapstick, the drama etc.) and he took them to another level. Not only did he make a film that was so poignant from a romance standpoint, but also a film that included some of his most comical slapstick sequences ever.
Who could forget the infamous boxing scene, an uproariously funny part that even made my brother, who is not a Chaplin fan, laugh. This film is so perfect in so many ways, no forget that, this film is so perfect in that Chaplin way. He reached the pinnacle of his hilarity at this film and he wouldn't stop being funny for many years to come. Not an easy thing to accomplish.
I am going to end this review now because I fear that I am to the point of rambling. The simple fact is this, if you haven't seen this film, GO.....SEE......IT.......NOW!!!!!
Oh yeah, and it gets my highest recommendation, or something like that.
It made me smile from start to finish. The final scenes are both shattering and heartwarming and perhaps one of the most romanticly brilliant in film history. If you see it, it will touch your heart for a long time....
simple, beautiful, and enduring. Chaplin without a doubt made the right decision keeping this a silent film. hysterical antics, wonderful characters, and a charming, innocent love story. hours of dialogue could not express the kind of humour, romance, and emotion fit in to this delightfully mute hour and a half. classic.
Charlie Chaplin fashioned a true masterpiece of comedic cinema with City Lights - a film that crafts a beautiful, timeless story out of accessible themes, vibrant characters and loads of charm. There are some moments of ingenious physical humor in this film, but it is the resonant power of the last few minutes that did it for me. Phenomenal.
Not Chaplin's best, but the ending is certainly priceless. The long, intense and wordless part when the not-anymore-blind woman stare at the tramp is simply.. WOW.
And some other moment are really enjoyable, like the boxing fight.
why are more people are familiar blow for blow and scene for scene w/ the three stooges' every friggen short and yet (most are) ignorant about this homegrown work of art, of brilliance, i'll never know, but it kinda points to a very serious little problem in our dearly beloved society if you ask me. a heartbreaking film about sacrifice that's so unbelievable you wouldn't believe it...unless you're lucky enough to have had someone do it for you...
City Lights could be the best Charlie Chaplin film to date; this poignant, entertaining film is both funny and heart-warming. This film also marks one of Chaplin's last silent movies. It was a bold move to release a silent film when the day and age of silent movies had dissolved, but Chaplin's trademark character just wouldn't be as appealing with a voice.
City Lights is another tale of the trademark Chaplin character known as the Tramp. As the film opens, the Tramp (Chaplin) is revealed to be sleeping upon an important statue that is being unveiled to the public. After sparking a lot of protest by the people, the Tramp flees and runs into a beautiful blind girl (Cherrill) selling flowers.
After mistakenly giving the impression to said blind girl that he is wealthy, he frequently visits her and is determined to raise money for an operation that would cure her blindness. In the meantime, the Tramp saves a wealthy millionaire (Myers) from committing suicide. The millionaire is eternally grateful to the Tramp, but only recognises him whenever he's intoxicated. Every time the millionaire is sober, he cannot remember being grateful to the Tramp.
City Lights is a frequently hilarious film. For a silent movie the laughs are top notch. Some memorable gags here include a highly amusing boxing match, a set of gags that have the Tramp atop of a large statue and a very clever sequence during a party.
Chaplin expertly mixes a number of excellent gags with deep, tender moments that are truly moving. The final ambiguous encounter of the movie is has been lauded as one of the most memorable and moving moments in film comedy history.
Charlie Chaplin will always be the king of silent movie gags. His trademark costume, his cute walk and his amusing mannerisms have never been matched by any comedians after him. I am especially fond of the way he approaches every situation; never deeply concerned, and never runs out of ideas.
The sight gags are particularly exceptional in this film. And although it's a silent movie it still contains a massive plethora of great quality lines conveyed to the audience via title cards. Virginia Cherrill does an excellent job as a blind protagonist opposite Chaplin.
City Lights is nothing short of an utter masterpiece. It is a brilliantly conceived piece of film comedy that is told perfectly with two outstanding leading actors to carry the film throughout its running time. The entire film is a string of terrific laughs while still having a deep meaning underneath the surface.
It's simple: if you're a fan of Chaplin you'll love it. But if you're not fond of 30's slapstick humour or sight gags then it's not for you.
City Lights is one of the finest comedy movies ever made. Charlie Chaplin is perfect as the lead who falls in love with a blind flower seller, and goes through obstacles to have her heart. I was actually surprised at how funny it was; there were times that I was laughing out loud. One of the greatest movies ever made. Period.
Chaplin's last 'silent' film tells the story of a poor little man the tramp played by Chaplin who falls in love with a blind flower girl. He becomes friends with a wealthy man who constantly tries to commit suicide. The man only recognizes the tramp character when he is drunk. To impress the flower girl the tramp uses the man's wealth to make her fall in love with him. The only problem is that when the man is sober he doesn't recognize the tramp anymore. On top of this the flower girl has to pay 22 dollars of rent or she will be thrown out of her apartment. Now the tramp desperately seeks for jobs in the city to help his love.
What a movie!! Every scene is classic and had a huge impact on the history of film-making. It is regarded as one of the best endings ever taped on film. But for me the best ending of chapilin's movies is in "modern times". Also the music is superb always composed by Chaplin. A lot of people say this is the best chaplin's film but my favourite remains "Modern Times".
This is a truly watchable classic. The madcap 30s humor may not be for everyone, but the emotional parts of the story are so simple and sweet that I can't imagine anyone turning a blind eye to it.
But then, I'm still sick and I tend to have odd emotional reactions to things when I'm not at my best, so maybe that has something to do with my appreciation for it. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, though.
Funny and endearing at the same time. Even though sound had become popular by this time Chaplin stuck to silent films and was not only successful but also made memorable films that are still enjoyed even today.
What can i say about city lights?a perfect movie.a real masterpiece.Chaplin's best movie and a great ending for one of the best eras of cinema:silent era.
MCT:October 6, 2008
MCT:September 28, 2008
MCT:August 2, 2008
MCT:July 9, 2008
MCT:April 2, 2008
