Chaplin's Modern Masterpiece

Ok I realise now...Yes! I’m biased!! But you have to admit all Chaplin's films...they're pretty damn perfect! 1936's Modern Times is another example of this. This was his last "silent" film...a term I use loosely because for a silent film there is a heck of a lot of talking and sound effects in it! What else was he supposed to do?? The "Talkies" were killing off his medium!


In the film Chaplin turns against modern society, the machine age and man's technological progress. IMDB terms it thus: "Firstly we see him frantically trying to keep up with a production line, tightening bolts. He is selected for an experiment with an automatic feeding machine, but various mishaps leads his boss to believe he has gone mad, and Charlie is sent to a mental hospital... When he gets out, he is mistaken for a communist while waving a red flag, sent to jail, foils a jailbreak, and is let out again. We follow Charlie through many more escapades before the film is out."


What I particularly love about this film is Chaplin's genius use of the vaudeville sight gags. This film is little more than a series of comedy skits strung together on an apparently flimsy clothesline of a plot yet it delivers such a strong, time-transcending message about poverty stricken populations.


My favourite scene in this film would have to be lunchtime in the jail. Whilst contentedly eating his soup the fellow inmate next to Chaplin pours his stash of cocaine into the table's salt shaker to avoid a run in with the ever watchful guards. Chaplin then proceeds to season his soup with the drug and enjoys a rather trippy...slightly aggressive ride!


One reason why this film should be remembered by audiences and be recognised for its historical value is because this was the last major American film to make use of silent film conventions such as title cards for dialogue. The very last dialogue title card of this film (and thus, it can be said, the entire silent era) belongs to The Tramp, who says "Buck up - never say die! We'll get along."

And it ends on Chaplin's well loved open road. Our two main characters walk off into the distance happy and content. Sigh! It's all very moving and metaphoric and...And stuff!


Don't overlook this film! Its story is just as relevant today as it was back in 1936. Of course we wouldn’t watch the film and brand Chaplin a communist today...that's the only difference I can think of!