The Little Tramp and his girl head off into movie history.
The year was 1936 and the movies had been talking for the better part of a decade when Modern Times was released. This was Chaplin’s first movie in 5 years and silent movies had become an old-fashioned relic from an earlier time, akin to the horse & buggy in the age of the automobile. Modern Times, though it does contain a few lines of spoken dialogue, some sound effects and even a gibberish musical number performed by the star, is essentially a silent movie - complete with title cards.
Chaplin instinctively knew the Little Tramp should never speak on film and he didn’t. Although he would don the iconic baggy pants, hat, cane and mustache one more time as a Jewish barber in his first all talking picture The Great Dictator, Modern Times marks the Little Tramp's true swan song. By 1936 Chaplin had been world famous for more than 2 decades and at 46 he was still in great physical shape as he demonstrates in a scene where he takes an early morning swim.
Incredibly Chaplin’s artistry as a silent filmmaker was still improving. In fact his 2 best films were released during the talking era, City Lights and Modern Times. City Lights represents his peak moment of screen pathos while Modern Times is his most consistently funny movie. The pacing of Modern Times is particularly sublime. It moves effortlessly from funny sight-gag to funny sight-gag and Chaplin never overworks a joke.
It begins with Chaplin working at a factory as a bolt tightener. The opening scenes satirizing the modern machine age are the most famous of the movie. Nearly everyone has seen the image of the Little Tramp caught in those giant surreal cogs like a reel of film being spooled through a movie projector. Or the mechanical eating sequence where the ear of corn spins out of control. All of which leads to a nervous breakdown and the Little Tramp losing his job.
Next, in a clever sight gag, he gets falsely accused of being a communist and goes to jail. After a few prison escapades he gets released and fails at every job he tries. The scene where he works construction on a ship being built is perfection in its simplicity. Eventually he crosses paths with a young homeless woman (Paulette Goddard) as she is attempting to steal a loaf of bread and the rest of the movie consists of them trying to make their way in life together.
At one point they stay in a shack that is literally rotting out from under them. To appease the censors Chaplin is shown sleeping in a separate area of the shack but it was still probably shocking to some audience members to see a man and woman, who so clearly have romantic feelings for each other and that aren’t married, cohabitate.
Despite the many obstacles and setbacks faced by the Little Tramp and his female companion, Modern Times has a decidedly optimistic attitude. It is full of whimsy. With a bit of luck theLittle Tramp gets a job as a night watchman at a department store. He and the girl have the run of the place and on the spur of the momentdecide to roller skate. Chaplin puts on a blindfold and skates gracefully around, unknowingly coming within inches of toppling over the edge of a stairwell. It ranks as one of the most purely enjoyable few minutes from any of his movies.
The last big set piece takes place in a fancy restaurant that has hired Chaplin and the girl; she as a dancer and he as a singing waiter. After making a complete mess of waiting tables Chaplin performs a comic number with exuberant hilarity. We actually hear his voice but he is singing nonsensical lyrics while dancing an incredibly funny jig. Just when things are looking up however, once again fate steps in and the job doesn’t end well.
Cut to the final scene. The title card reads simply: Dawn. As Chaplin’s composition “Smile” underscores the scene we see a familiar looking road heading off towards some distant hills. The Little Tramp, with his pack on the end of his cane, sets off towards the unknown distance. Only this time he isn’t alone, he has his girl on his arm and a spring in his step. Slow fade to black…
