Modern Times

Duneman David

English 220

Joe Serio

1/20/13

Modern Times

            Charlie Chaplin has and always will be a great cinematic icon. This really rings true in “Modern Times”. This was only the second Chaplin film I have seen, behind “Gold Rush”, and I can truly see why he is one of the greats. The like the opening of the movie how it’s starts will a relatively serious opening up until Chaplin makes his entrance, and then begins the slap-stick comedy. There is just not a dull moment when Charlie Chaplin is on the screen. But my favorite thing about Chaplin would be that he directs, stars, and writes the music for his films. He is like a past-day Clint Eastwood. I never have really like silent movies but I would gladly watch “Modern Times” rather than a lot a films nowadays. The gags in the film go on for a while but luckily they don’t lose their comedic appeal. Such as the first gag where Chaplin is doing machinery line work and keeps running into his fellow employee and they get into an assortment of different spats. The slap-stick comedy that Chaplin uses is a classic humor that doesn’t get old.

            Chaplin also uses stereotypes that relate to common day problems. A good example would be him working in the machinery line, and being over-worked until he goes insane. When the boss tries to feed his employees with a machine so that they won’t need a lunch break, is a scenario that has probably been tried by some companies before. That was a great opening gag.  Another good example of reality referencing, would be where Chaplin gets arrested for accidentally joining a protest. This is a common occurrence in America, maybe not joining a protest on accident, but protestors getting arrested is something we hear on the news quite frequently. Another good reality reference is where Chaplin and the main woman are homeless and roaming around. There are many homeless people living in America, which is another everyday occurrence that we see. So Chaplin uses some reality references which is effective in keeping an audience watching.

            The ending of “Modern Times” was the greatest ending this movie could have. When Chaplin and the woman were still homeless by the end and she was starting to lose hope, Chaplin looks and her and smiles, as if to say “Keep on Smiling” and it was just a beautiful ending. I think it was more effect silently than if it did have talking.

            Chaplin is one of the great innovators of film comedy and is still great to this day. He used a handful of reality references that worked really well in this film. His slap-stick comedy is classic comedy that never gets old. I would recommend everybody watch “Modern Times”.