The Gold Rush poster & wallpaper

Charles Chaplin, Georgia Hale, Henry Bergman

The Tramp goes to the Klondike in search of gold and finds it and more.

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91% liked it

14,277 ratings

Unrated, 71 min.

Directed by: Charles Chaplin

Release Date: June 26, 1925

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DVD Release Date: May 16, 2000

Stats: 737 reviews

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The Gold Rush Chaplin and Swain Chaplin freezes Chaplin and Georgia Hale The classic scene Chaplin and Swain A fight! Chaplin eats a boot Things are not going as well as expected Original release movie poster Where has the tramp's cabin gone? Chaplin and Swain
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Flixster Reviews (737)

  • kenstachnik
    February 26, 2009
    kenstachnik
    Classic Chaplin
  • Redlats
    October 12, 2008
    Redlats
    I watched the first version - with no dialogue, only a piano score. I have only seen two or three of Chaplin's movies. It is an indication of the quality of his films that an 80 year old silent black and white movie competes favourably with today's movies with all the technolog...( read more)y they have now.
  • rubystevens
    August 3, 2008
    rubystevens
    this is the 'revival' version with new music and chaplin's narration. i understand cuts were made and i'd like to see the original at some point, but it's still pretty clever and charming. said to be inspired by chaplin's reading about the donner party!
  • PvtCaboose91
    July 28, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    Of all fictional movie characters in existence, none are more recognisable than Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp. The baggy pants, top coat, vest, oversized shoes, derby hat, cane, distinguishing walk, and truncated moustache made the tiny chap an icon. Chaplin's wonderful creation...( read more) became an instantly identifiable symbol of the small man standing up against all odds.

    By the year 1925, Charlie Chaplin (frequently billed as Charles) had become the biggest star in the world. The continuing adventures of the Little Tramp were fast becoming more popular worldwide, and The Gold Rush was Chaplin's most ambitious project yet. Chaplin promised a film that would be his "epic": greater in duration, scale, cast, and everything he had previously undertaken. These efforts paid off as audiences loved it, and it was an instant box office hit. In some theatres specific scenes were rewound and played multiple times to the satisfaction of adamant viewers. Today, The Gold Rush may certainly seem dated and not without faults, but this film remains to stand as one of Chaplin's greatest works in addition to being one of the best comedies in cinematic history.

    In addition to Chaplin starring in the film it was also produced, written and directed by the multi-talented individual. His inspirations were the Klondike gold strikes of the late nineteenth century and the Donner Party a half century prior. The expectancy of discovering easy money in the Yukon and Alaska sent thousands of men scurrying north, while the unrelated Donner Party of Western settlers met with catastrophic consequences and reports of cannibalism. For writing the script of The Gold Rush, Chaplin stitched together components of these two situations into the foundation of tragicomedy. It's what Chaplin did best: blending pathos with humour, and his Little Tramp was the ideal vehicle for the job.

    The film's plot is quite straightforward: the Little Tramp (actually billed as 'The Lone Prospector') heads northwards in search of his fortune. In the frigid wastelands of Alaska, the Little Tramp becomes stranded in a cabin when a fierce snow-storm forces him to take shelter. While staying at this small cabin, he crosses paths with two other men: another prospector named Big Jim McKay (Swain), and fugitive Black Larsen (Murray). Following many scenes of hunger-related humour, the Little Tramp finds his way back to civilisation where he meets and falls in love with dance-hall denizen Georgia (Hale). Like I said, the plot is very straightforward and isn't anything overly deep. Basically, this plot is a tool for Chaplin to pull off some enormously hilarious and memorable gags.

    The film's highlights: "dance of the rolls" (later re-enacted by Johnny Depp in Benny & Joon several decades later), eating a boot for dinner (which was achieved by creating liquorice boot), being tied to a dog while dancing with a girl, and even Chaplin in a chicken suit. These scenes are extremely memorable and tremendously funny.

    The Gold Rush is a very unique style of comedy. Granted the plot appears to be thin, but this film is a masterpiece and it's vastly superior to typical modern comedies. This is simply because of the poignancy and realism of a period depiction. The laughs are always memorable as well. Those who over-act for laughs (Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, etc) never have any heart behind their performances and you'll generally forget their brainless antics within a few days. Charlie Chaplin stated in later years that The Gold Rush is the film he wanted to be remembered for. He achieved this objective, as his career only spiralled upwards with later hits such as Modern Times, The Great Dictator and City Lights. However, this film is among Chaplin's simplest, most charming films. Regardless of its frequent comedy of a high standard, the film never drifts significantly from Chaplin's eager clutch of solitude and lonesomeness.

    Overall, The Gold Rush proved that actor Chaplin was a man of many talents. This is a film of comedic genius, and it has aged gracefully. The film is kept moving at a brisk pace with plenty of humour and a solid plot driving the events. In 1942, Chaplin re-edited and re-released the movie. This new version was shorter (70 minutes as opposed to 95 minutes), and added narration instead of the titles.
  • dooritor1
    April 25, 2008
    dooritor1
    amazingly and oddly humourous.
  • kanokaan
    October 6, 2009
    kanokaan
    Chaplin once said "I want be remembered with this movie." or something like that.But the thing i want to say is,I think Chaplin loved this love like me.I dont know a person who would watch and didnt enjoy "Gold Rush".Ok,it was more dramatic than i though but still funny.Tramp loo...( read more)ks funny even if he cries.I dont know you but i laughed every second.And that falling house part is unforgettable.Just like the ball dancing in The Great Dictator.Great Dictator is #4 in my best list.I put it there cause it is one of the funniest and braviest movies of all time.
    I dont need to say more.You know it is funny...
  • HarleenQuinzel
    September 24, 2009
    HarleenQuinzel
    I was laughing out loud in a film released in 1925. This film is exceptional and, as terribly cliche as the word is, absolutely timeless.
  • Ivan6655321
    September 21, 2009
    Ivan6655321
    A great silent comedy on an epic scale, with great special effects, considering the time it was made, especially the house on the cliff. Mr. Chaplin is great, successfully making us feel different emotions about the lone prospector, whether it is joy or pity(Georgia & friends mak...( read more)ing fun of him). A timeless classic that is worth multiple viewings or more.
  • ElCochran90
    September 20, 2009
    ElCochran90
    Considered as one of the greatest films ever made, The Gold Rush proves Chaplin's creativity and genius. Full of memorable moments and sequences, if you let this classic comedy go away then you won't be able to die happy. U-N-I-Q-U-E

    95/100
  • killantzb4itzl8
    August 24, 2009
    killantzb4itzl8
    One of the best Charlie Chaplin films. This is definitely a favorite.

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The Gold Rush Trivia

  • The scene in Benny and Joon where Johnny Depp does a dance with dinner rolls was a re-enactment of a scene originally made famous in which silent film?  Answer »
  • Who directed "The Gold Rush", "City Lights", "The Kid", "The Circus", "Limelight" and "A Woman of Paris"?  Answer »
  • i starred in the movie Gold rush and the tv show Charmed...  Answer »
  • Who starred in the 1925 version of The Gold Rush?  Answer »
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