Fish's Favorite Classic Movies: CITY LIGHTS (1931)

by Alan Fishman

Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed and starred in City Lights, arguably his best work of art. It is full of wonderful innocence, which communicates its warmth directly into the heart of the viewer. While most movies try to coerce the viewer into liking or disliking a character, here we observe a born hero (Chaplin's Tramp) in action.

The plot is simple enough. Chaplin's Tramp roams the city streets and meets a poor, blind girl who sells flowers. She is lovely; he quickly falls in love with her and desperately wants to help her out financially. But he is as poor, if not poorer than she. (Virginia Cherrill played the blind flower girl. She was Cary Grant's first wife!)

The movie, though, is more about Chaplin's Tramp. The Tramp is one of the most good-natured and heartwarming characters in cinema history. From other Chaplin classics (which I recommend) such as The Gold Rush & Modern Times, Chaplin's character has become a symbol of pure chivalry. He is not your typical hero (that is what makes him great) but he will do anything for a woman despite how horribly he will be affected. In an action movie he would jump in front of a bullet for a lady.

In City Lights we watch this jobless and homeless man with a hat and cane aimlessly wander the streets. Young boys torment him; he is found sleeping on public statues and like Travis Bickle (from Taxi Driver) he has no one but himself. The Tramp's only "friend" is a suicidal drunk who does not recognize him when he is sober. The Tramp is a sad character. Wherever he travels, he finds trouble. He can not escape chaos, yet he never forgets to tip his hat as a friendly "hello" or "good-bye." Watch in the first scene, Chaplin tips his hat to a statue several times.

There is a genius in Chaplin. He makes comedy look effortless, as natural as breathing. The movie contains so much brilliance that it has been copied countless times. There is slapstick and physical comedy that resonated later in The Three Stooges, Gilligan's Island and even in John Ritter's character, Jack Tripper on Three's Company. The old swallowing-a-whistle gag is first seen in this movie. City Lights also seems to have inspired the farce and idiotic comedy seen in Mel Brooks' movies, as well as such films and their sequels as The Naked Gun, Airplane and Hot Shots.

Chaplin was one of the first to truly test comedy to its limit. He was ahead of his time. Watch this movie and other Chaplin films, then look for his presence in television and movies. It is staggering.

Chaplin, though, adds something to all his movies. He adds tenderness, humanity, morality and reality. Besides being comical, City Lights is at times very touching and sweet and deals with serious subjects in a funny, yet insightful manner. Although this film was made seventy years ago, Chaplin dives into the issue of drunk driving and alcoholism. At one point, he is even a designated driver. He also deals with poverty and The Great Depression. While the movie is primarily a comedy, there is also an inner truth to it.

It is a silent movie, but it is not. While we do not hear the characters speak (a shot will be interrupted with a black screen with dialogue written on it) there is a soundtrack that works efficiently. When a character is mad, the music is furious. When a character is happy, the music is merry. The music is also operatic; it has recurrent themes. When the flower girl appears, the same sweet, calm melody is played. When the Tramp makes his "value of life" speech to the drunk, there is another theme that plays. This is a method used in Star Wars and numerous other films. (When Luke Skywalker appears we hear the same theme, then when Darth Vader appears we hear another theme etc.) There are cool sounds in the movie such as the whistle and ringing of bells. While this is "technically" a silent movie, it is filled with a lot of noise.

City Lights is a drama, comedy and fable in one. It is poignant, hilarious and teaches us about life. There are lessons to be learned from this film, but that's for the viewer to discover. It's not just a classic comedy; it will make you think. While The Tramp does not kill the bad guy or say witty one-liners like James Bond or a Schwarzenegger, Willis, Gibson or Harrison Ford character, for one hour and twenty-six minutes he is a unique, fascinating and gallant hero.