It tells the story of a vagabond who falls in love with a blind girl who sells flowers on the street. The movie takes us through his journey of trying to know and help the poor girl, all in a hilarious and dynamic way.
Since it is a silent movie, the focus was more on the comedic side of Chaplin, which is exceptionally interesting and entertaining. He is, without a doubt, a fantastic actor and deserves all the credit he gets- his quirky movements, his extremely expressive face and his lovable character made the movie what it is. I am now looking forward to seeing more of him, but also trying out some Buster Keaton features.
I was a little bit surprised by the fact that I found myself laughing from the beginning, in the first scene with the statue, to the party scenes and more- I wasn't expecting it to be so funny. It had a lot of great moments, and you cannot not smile at most of them (some were a bit too much, in the sense that the same joke was done more than once and that made it lose its charm, but it didn't make such a difference).
No dialogue also meant more time to observe other things; for me, the score/soundtrack was vital, as it must help and guide the viewer into the scriptwriter's wanted direction - I learned to appreciate it and the orchestra much more than I did in the past. [it also reminded me a lot of The Artist, but I guess that is normal..]
The final scenes is one of the most romantic, sweet and incredibly endearing moments I have ever seen on screen. The way he looks at the girl after he finally notices her, the love in his eyes and the relief and happiness- all was so wonderful and touching, it felt real and it almost brought tears to my eyes. I will forever remember it!
If you haven't watched a Chaplin movie yet, I suggest you do it soon! It is magical and it helps you relax and smile! City Lights is a wonderful film that I highly recommend!
Awwww, I love this movie. It is so sweet! And I totally agree with you about the final scene. So lovely.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - I haven't seen the film, but that image of Chaplin smiling is iconic - I know that image! I really want to see this now :) I'm that familiar with a lot of 30's/silent era films either. I've seen a couple of Buster Keaton films, but no Chaplin yet. Great review!
ReplyDelete@Stevee: It is, a proper romantic movie, not too cheesy! Love it!
ReplyDelete@Ruth: Definitely check Chaplin, you will be surprised!
I'm a big fan of this though when I watched it for the second time recently I found myself getting a bit tired with all the stuff with the wealthy man. I wanted a bit more focus on the romance which is so sweet and charming. I highly recommend Modern Times. It has a great romantic part as well but the other stuff works better for me.
ReplyDelete@Bondo: Hello, thanks for dropping by! I know where you're getting from with the wealthy man scenes- I, too, felt there was too much focus on them and not enough on the romance!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the first Chaplin films I finally got to see last year and... that ending... truly one of the great endings ever.
ReplyDeleteWhile I much prefer Modern Times, I still think this is one of Chaplin's essential films.
Good review. I'm glad you enjoyed discovering one of the classic silent films. You picked a great one to start with. Try Chaplin's other films Modern Times, The Gold Rush, and The Kid. As for Buster Keaton try Our Hospitality, The General, and Seven Chances. No set would be complete without the third king of silent comedies - Harold Lloyd. His Safety Last! is an iconic film. Also check out The Freshman.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to balance out all the silliness check out The Passion of Joan of Arc. It's the best silent drama I have seen.
@Steven: Modern times,you say? I will check it out! Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Chip: Wow, thank you very much for the recommendations, I will try to get hold of them somehow! I really want to see a Buster Keaton film, too!
This was the first Chaplin movie I saw too! It's great but I liked Modern Times more. Also everyone should see The Great Dictator. And if you haven't seen Robert Downey Jr as Chaplin, then that's great to watch after you have seen these!
ReplyDeleteFantastic film. I love that ending. Someone said that it was greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid.
ReplyDeleteLovely review! I saw this one long time ago and this review encouraged me to rewatch it soon :)
ReplyDelete@Pete: I've heard about the RDJ movie, I will research more about it, thanks!
ReplyDelete@Nikhat: The greatest single piece of acting? I'm not sure about that, but it's definitely up there!
@Sati: Glad it did, hope you will feel the same when you'll see it for the second time!
Great review of one of the best films ever made, period. Like you, I find the final scene of this film to be inexplicably moving. I'll never forget the first time I saw it... blew me away.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is one of the best movies ever made, I wish people would give it more attention!
DeleteGreat to hear that you took a chance on an old movie and enjoyed it. City Lights is one of my favorite movies. It's hilarious and charming and reminds me why Chaplin is such an amazing talent. Nice review!
ReplyDeleteI always want to try new things and I am open to all genres, so I am happy I took a chance on this movie! Lovely! Thanks!
DeleteI loved this movie. I so see what all the fuss was about. Absolutely stunning and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I need to see more silent films, I think I will try the General next!
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