Jan 03 2010
The Circus (1928) and Modern Times (1936)
Starring Charlie Chaplin
Written, directed, produced, and music by Charlie Chaplin
Rated G
The Circus: 1 hour 11 minutes
Modern Times: 1 hour 27 minutes
I had previously only seen clips of Charlie Chaplin – never a full movie, so I figured it was about time to really experience this icon of American film. I chose to watch The Circus at the recommendation of a friend and Modern Times because it is widely considered Chaplin’s finest work. While I don’t need to see either movie again, I did gain an appreciation of how incredibly talented Chaplin was. His creativity, stunts, and physical comedy are very impressive in both movies with The Circus probably being the funnier of the two. Modern Times adds a little bit of social satire, which always scores big with the critics but not always for the average viewer (I put myself in the latter category). Unfortunately, both movies were a bit underwhelming compared to modern films. If you were to see one, I’d recommend the shorter and funnier Circus.
Grades:
The Circus: B
Modern Times: B-