Accidental Adventures with Chaplin by Kara L'Heureux
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| Chaplin and his billionaire friend from City Lights |
City Lights is the story of a mischievous Little Tramp and
his accidental adventures. This funny
story has moments of love between the Tramp and a blind girl, and mischief
between the Tramp and his friend the Drunk Billionaire. With silly moments and
little gimmicks and jokes the story is always interesting and funny in new ways
each scene.
Even at a time with sound in movie technology now available
this silent movie still competes in its own unique way. Using very few speech cards it shows emotions
and tender moments easily. It also uses sped up film, quick gags, music,
and sound effects for comedic effect. This film is also never slow or dull with
a quick changing plot and comedic moments filling in the gaps in the story’s
plot.
Charlie Chaplin succeeds as both an actor and director. As
an actor he lives in the character creating his own walk and way of
communication. He is always in the
moment of his character and every action he does is over the top and shows what
kind of person the tramp is. The tramp steals every scene with his hilarious
movements and his silly mistakes making the character very likeable.
As a director Charlie accomplishes his biggest goal in
making the story clear without speech.
Chaplin challenges himself and doesn’t go little with plot lines.
Filming wise he films each scene in one shot making them fluid and realistic.
With his wide angle filming he also tells the story from the point of view of
the audience and keeps the plot the main focus instead of the individuals. The
choices he makes are bold but make the story unique and entertaining. The love
story between the blind girl and the little tramp shows a relationship through
touch and speech but without any speaking, touch becomes the most important
sense. Chaplin makes every movement between these two so clear allowing the
audience to believe that they love each other even when one can’t see.
City Lights story is not completely new but the way Chaplin
reinvents it come of fresh and funny.
The story has many repeating moments like when the drunken billionaire
remembers the tramp and then when he is sober and forgets the tramp. These
little moments move along the story and add problem and calamity. This movie
contains a little bit of everything, love, comedy and expresses it all without
speech. Chaplin’s classic film competes with many movies that have sound and
speaking. It has received its title as a classic for a reason and this funny
movie will do much more them make viewers laugh.
