Charlie Chaplin's City Lights

Charlie Chaplin (1889 - 1977), a multitalented artist, directed, produced, and wrote the story for City Lights. He had been developing the idea for this silent film several years prior to 1931, even though the movie industry was moving into talking films by this time. Chaplin refused to completely abandon the silent film medium for sound, his high-ranking status granted him total creative control, allowing him to edit the film his way, and offered him the first chance to compose the musical score for City Lights. The music was orchestrated by Arthur Johnston and Alfred Newman. The Flower Girl’s theme provided by José Padilla. The excellent cinematography was by Rollie Totheroh, Gordon Pollock, and Mark Marklatt.

Much of the films with Chaplin

“Chaplin’s world-view was that he was raised in poverty. (Inasmuch, he popularized his light-hearted character) with the trademark baggy trousers, hat, cane an carefully trimmed moustache. He was a household name by 1915. In 1918 he signed the film industry‘s first million-dollar contract” (Roberts & Wallis 130). His creation of the tramp in the Depression ear of the 1920s and 1930s was praised for connecting to the average American or British citizens that were suffering with poverty in those times. He was them and they were he, and each understood what it meant to be homeless, starving, and

I was hooked from there and became a fan instantly, and immediately started watching several more comedy duos like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, and noticed the similarity with what the Stooges did. Than it dawn on me that no, they were inspired by Chaplin’s physical comedy. But I also saw some of Buster Keaton’s films and noticed some resemblances to Charlie Chaplin‘s style as well.

However, Chaplin’s portrayal of the Little Tramp character on film is more endearing, and emotionally more connected with the average person just trying to get by in a big, sometimes cold, domineering world full of pitfalls that some face on a daily basis. Chaplin’s legacy is surely felt by other famous comedians and comedy duos that came after him, he was highly influential in the entertainment industry for decades, he had many imitators along the way, but there is only one Charlie Chaplin and one Little