A Charlie Chaplin comedy is never a waste of time, especially if you’re looking for an entertaining movie. Some of the best comedies by Chaplin include “The Great Dictator,” “City Lights,” “Shoulder Arms,” and “The Tramp.” Read on for our picks! You’ll be glad you did! And don’t forget to watch his other great films, including the famous silent classic “Sleeping Beauty.”
The Tramp
The Charlie Chaplin comedy The Tramp, originally called Sunnyside, is one of his best known films. The story of a working class farm labourer and his relationship with the local preacher is timeless, and the humor is as sharp and cutting as any contemporary comic. This film was made in a frantic burst, following a creative block in the early 1930s. A rare rural comedy, it contains a nymph ballet inspired by Nijinsky.
The original poem was written by Robert Louis Stevenson, who later adapted it into nine films, most starring Chaplin himself. Chaplin starred in all but one of these films, which were distributed by First National and formed the Chaplin Revue. Among Chaplin’s Tramp films, The Little Tramp starred Jackie Coogan. Another film featuring Chaplin as the titular character, Modern Times, was a remake of the 1911 classic.
The Tramp is one of the most well-known movies by the great Charlie Chaplin. This classic movie features Chaplin’s beloved character, the Tramp, who has no redeeming features. He is destined for jail, but he manages to rescue the girl’s new boyfriend in a memorable scene. This film is a masterpiece of character incarnation. There is no other film quite like The Tramp.
The story centers around an unnamed barber and his maid Hannah, a young woman played by Paulette Goddard. The film’s racial ambiguity is accentuated by an uncredited Black bellhop and a docile sympathetic character. Despite the racial implications, Chaplin kept the film largely white. In the film’s cafe, the entire crew is white.
City Lights
Before directing his first feature film, Chaplin had a long history of working in the silent film genre. Before City Lights, his films often included romantic elements, but these were almost exclusively used to incite gags, not add dramatic weight. Typically, Chaplin’s films featured a “Little Tramp” trying to “get the girl.” In City Lights, the hapless Little Tramp becomes the romantic lead, and he succeeds in making the woman he loves a sympathetic character.
One of Chaplin’s most famous films, City Lights is a social critique. The film’s ending suggests that the Tramp’s misfortune is a direct result of modern capitalism and economic depression. In fact, a crucial scene in the film shows Tramp crawling up a monument during the president’s inauguration. The film’s title, “City Lights,” refers to the defiance of the government, and Chaplin’s characters’ disarrayment reflects this sentiment. The distorted sound effects of the film make this ending seem like a montage of scenes.
City Lights is a quintessential Charlie Chaplin film. Released in 1931, it was Chaplin’s final silent film. Sound would have ruined the film’s character and the plot, and Chaplin’s filmmaking style would have been completely different. If Chaplin had continued to pursue the talkie route, he might never have had the chance to make City Lights. Thankfully, Chaplin wasn’t a victim of this fate.
The eviction scene in City Lights is another great example of this film’s comic genius. In it, the Tramp tries to climb a statue by putting his pants through its blade. This is an incredibly dangerous attempt, and it is only then that he realizes that something is wrong. The film is filled with incredibly funny moments, from the time the eviction notice is handed out to the blind girl.
Shoulder Arms
Shoulder Arms is a 1931 Charlie Chaplin comedy that takes place in the American Army during the First World War. The plot revolves around private Charlie Speck, who goes to boot camp with the dream of becoming a hero. When he is assigned to a daring mission, he realizes that his training is not what it should be. Nevertheless, he succeeds in achieving his dream.
Despite the war’s horrors, Charlie Chaplin’s “Shoulder Arms” is a classic example of a satire of war. A doughboy aspiring to join the army finds his dreams of duty in the trenches. Though the film is very sympathetic to the soldier’s plight, critics criticized the director for not joining the war effort. Ultimately, Chaplin used his fame to aid the war effort. In addition to the film, he also made a number of short films for the Liberty Loan Committee.
Shoulder Arms was Chaplin’s second film for First National Pictures. The film takes place during World War I. Sydney Chaplin and Edna Purviance star in the film. The movie was one of Chaplin’s most acclaimed films. Shoulder Arms was also the only movie to feature Chaplin as a child, and many people still enjoy it today. So, if you want to experience a Chaplin comedy, don’t miss Shoulder Arms!
The Great Dictator
In this classic Charlie Chaplin comedy, a Jewish barber spends the years after the Great War recuperating in a hospital, completely unaware of the rise of a fascist dictator. Although his physical appearance bears a striking resemblance to the dictator, the barber impulsively joins his neighbor’s and the beautiful girl Paulette Goddard in rebelling. The result is far from the happy ending that Chaplin promises.
The Great Dictator was Chaplin’s first talkie, and his success helped to erase any criticism of Luddism, which was a trend in early 20th century cinema. While the film does have several dialogue-free scenes, it is still a classic in the genre. In fact, Chaplin’s greatest achievement in film is the film’s climactic monologue, which has been hailed as the greatest in movie history and one of the most memorable recorded speeches of the twentieth century.
Unlike the satires of his other films, The Great Dictator features two men who become one in the final scene. A Jewish barber, mistaken for the Nazi leader Hynkel, is called upon to address the masses. Hynkel’s party is based on racial and religious prejudices, and the barber’s character, Jack Oakie, is a satirical representation of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Ultimately, the film’s climax reveals Chaplin as the true man behind a mask of a dictator.
The Great Dictator was nominated for five Academy Awards. It won for Best Director and Best Actor. It also received three nominations for Best Original Screenplay. The film’s score was composed by Meredith Willson. In the end, the film was released in October 1940, well after World War II had begun. The Great Dictator is widely regarded as one of Chaplin’s most famous films.
The Circus
The circus has long served as a backdrop for comedies, and this setting is no different in The Circus. Though many comedy teams and movie comedians have used the circus as their backdrop, THE CIRCUS is particularly noteworthy for its comic timing and dedication to making every gag funny. This film was rarely screened since it was first released in theaters and was only re-released after Chaplin’s death in 1977.
The Tramp character is inexplicably accused of stealing, and his antics end up being mistaken for a circus act. A crowd roars at the mistake, and the circus owner hires the tramp as a star attraction. But he quickly realizes that his performances are not as funny as he had hoped. As the star of the film, he is constantly doomed to the same misfortunes. Despite his success, his audience does not appreciate the circus’s self-pitying nature.
Despite the high ratings the film received, the film’s production was the most difficult experience of Chaplin’s career. It was delayed by a studio fire, Chaplin lost his mother in 1928, and his second wife, Lita Grey, divorced him. Despite these problems, The Circus would end up becoming the seventh highest-grossing silent film of all time. Despite its many problems, The Circus remains a cherished classic for Chaplin fans.
The plot follows a circus. A ringmaster, Rex, wants to impress Merna, who works as a clown. However, the ringmaster does not appreciate this, and he is forced to pay Tramp accordingly. This leads to a conflict between Charlie and Merna, which is resolved by the end of the movie. And what better time to give the Tramp the opportunity to prove his mettle than in the circus?
