City Lights

City Lights is a film from one of the most iconic and influential directors in cinematic history. By the time of it’s release the director had made a number of feature films, all of which were successful in their own rights. The director, having released two feature films in a row was about to embark on a new project. However, during filming today’s subject he was greeted with an enormous conundrum and one that could potentially hurt the international reception of his most beloved character.

So if you’re like me and you enjoy film and the impact and emotion they convey, then grab a glass of your preferred liquid and join me for the next little while. For me, that’s a glass of chocolate milk. So sit back, relax, and let’s talk about the love of film. Welcome to Glazed Cinema.

City Lights is a fantastic film and one that I feel isn't widely known about...or at least it doesn't feel like it. So, I wanted to try and change that. The director, Charlie Chaplin, is known and loved to this day around the world as many things. An actor, director, comedian, icon. By the time the thirties arrived he was one of the most popular celebrities in the world. Not to mention the creator and embodiment of the most recognized and loved characters in cinema up to that point, if not ever. A character, who starred in several films in the twenties and who would begin the thirties with our subject today.

City Lights stars Charlie Chaplin as his beloved character, The Tramp. Now, for those unfamiliar, Chaplin was a highly talented and creative person who wrote, directed, and starred in all of his films. He even composed the music for a lot of his feature films. A master of communicating without saying anything, he was a star of the silent age of cinema. His legendary figure, The Tramp, helped to embody a lot of things through the years and always lifted people‘s spirits. Whether that was the fright of WWI, the boom of the Roaring Twenties, or the hopelessness of The Great Depression, he always found a way to reach people through comedy.

If you aren’t familiar with the Tramp, you’re most likely familiar with the imagery. A man with baggy pants, oversized shoes, a buttoned up shirt, and suit coat. His tie was either traditional or bow and usually sported a vest, but always wore his derby hat and carried his curved handled cane.

The story on how this iconic character came to be is less a story about deliberate planning and more circumstantial luck. At the time he was working for Keystone Film Company on a motion picture titled “Mabel’s Strange Predicament”. The head of the company was looking to spruce up Chaplin’s entrance into a scene. Sennett said to Chaplin “Put on a comedy makeup. Anything will do.” According to his autobiography titled “My Autobiography”, Chaplin wrote what happened next.

“I had no idea what makeup to put on. I did not like my get-up as the press reporter in “Making a Living”. However, on the way to the wardrobe I thought I would dress in baggy pants, big shoes, a cane, and a derby hat. I wanted everything to be a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large. I was undecided whether to look old or young, but remembering Sennett had expected me to be a much older man, I added a small moustache, which, I reasoned, would add age without hiding my expression. I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the make-up made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked on to the stage he was fully born.”

I found that really interesting, but sometimes things are just meant to be. If I can quote the great Bob Ross, “There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.” Chaplin would go on to star in seventy-eight short films and six feature films from 1914 to 1931 when City Lights was released, directing fifty-four of the shorts and four of the features.

So by the time City Lights arrived The Tramp character was extremely popular and beloved all over the world. With this film Chaplin would return with the character with a wonderful and heartfelt story to tell.

The plot, at it’s core is about a man, down on his luck who meets a blind girl and tries to earn enough money for an operation to help her see. All the Chaplin trademarks can be found in this film. His care, his creativity, his eye for detail, lots of laughs, and most importantly and ample amount of heart.

That’s something I really love about Charlie Chaplin and why he is one of my favorite directors. It’s comedy that few have been able to replicate. Sure there have been funnier films, but have there been films as funny and as heartfelt than with his? I will quite confidently say no. Certainly not as consistent or with as much quality. With all of his films, no matter what the subject, characters, or methods I always come away inspired to do something positive. Which in my opinion is a true testament to his genius, spirit, legend, and influence both as a creator and a human being.

With City Lights however he would to have to make a decision that could potentially harm the reception of the film. Technical advancements led to the ability for speech to be played with film. Chaplin would have to decide if he would capitalize on these new technological advancements. Would audiences hear the voice of a character they‘ve watched for almost twenty years?

If he chose to go the sound route it would be the first time audiences would get to hear his beloved character the tramp speak. What would his voice sound like? What kind of accent would he have? Questions that today we may think trivial, held a lot of weight at that time. The world had quickly adapted to talkies. All Quiet on the Western Front had come out with critical acclaim in 1930 cementing the popularity of the talkie. The following year in 1931 movies like Dracula, Frankenstein, M, and The Public Enemy would be released the same year as City Lights. Each one featuring actors and actresses speaking on film. Chaplin was resistant to sound in film as he thought it would hinder the charm and grace of his character. After all he had perfected the character’s mannerisms, walk, pace, and style. Speech may reduce those elements down to scrap

In the end Chaplin decided to keep City Lights a silent film. The beauty of the character is the universality. The fact that anybody can understand him, no matter what country they’re from or what language they speak. Something that if words were to come into play would undoubtedly narrow down the field of comprehension. The decision to remain silent did not however, mean that he wouldn’t use sound, but we’ll talk more about that in a little bit.

The film itself starts out with a very funny scene. We start off outside where a large number of people have gathered. Soon we see a number of formally dressed individuals on a stage in front of the crowd. Behind them is a large shape shrouded by a tarp. One by one the distinguished people on stage step up to a microphone and take turns speaking.

However they speak no words...at least not audible ones. Instead, the characters during this scene speak in a wonderfully creative way. They speak by way of kazoo...Oh yes, kazoo. Each character has a distinctive pitch and as they take turns speaking on the stage the kazoo sounds off. Despite not being able to hear vocal tone, we can almost tell that it’s Charlie behind the instrument.

Everyone in the scene has assembled for a statue unveiling and as the speakers gesture toward the shrouded shape the connected cable slowly pulls the tarp upward to reveal a three figured statue. As the middle and tallest figure is revealed however, we see a sleeping tramp in its arms. The crowd begins to wave their arms and point toward the statue frantically, infuriated that he is laying on the new work of art. He slowly awakens and looks at the crowd bewildered. Recognizing that they want him to get down he tips his cap and begins to descend, climbing down toward the figure on the right who is lying down, holding a sword pointed to the sky. As he makes his way down he sits and starts to tie his shoe, which sends the crowd into a frenzy once more. He looks down to see that he is sitting on the figure’s face. ends up sitting on the other figure‘s face. He tips his cap again as if to apologize to the onlookers. He rises up and tries climbing the tallest figure, but catches his pants on the sword. Slowly sliding down until the hand stops him he hangs suspended by his pants. The tramp tries to catch his footing on the statue, flailing his legs forward and backward as the crowd continues to yells and gesture. After continuing to get himself into trouble in hilarious ways he eventually makes his way over a fence, exiting the scene.

We next see him crossing a street where we see a sidewalk. Walking around the corner comes a young woman carrying a wicker basket of flowers In her arms. She lays the basket on a wall ledge and begins try and sell flowers to passers by. The tramp, studies the woman, infatuated by her. Seeing that she is blind he watches as she interacts with people, amazed. Approaching her, he shyly buys a flower from her. As she goes to hand him his change she hears a car door close and mistakes him as a well off individual. This simple gesture sets him on a number of adventures to help provide money for the operation she needs to make that dream a reality. A tale of love and unrequited friendship.

The biggest plot point that I’ll touch on is the Tramp’s friend in the film. While at a bar he meets a wealthy man who befriends him. They go out on the town and eventually back to his mansion. While the wealthy individual is drunk the two are thick as thieves. Gallivanting around town and having a blast together. However, when the man sobers up he has no recollection of his companion and has his butler remove him from the residence. This happens throughout the film as the Tramp

plays the role of a wealthy man and tries to save money to help the woman he loves.

In the role of the blind woman Chaplin cast Virginia Cherril as the leading lady who was to play a blind woman who sells flowers to make ends meet. Virginia was an amateur actress having no previous roles, but Chaplin was impressed by how she was able to act in the role. He raised the bar high, especially from himself, wanting as close to perfection as he could achieve. While being inexperienced none of it shows on screen. She plays a wonderful role and turns in a fantastic performance.

This film would take over two years to film and was a fairly painstaking process, but well worth the efforts.

There are so many great scenes in this film, but two of my favorites are on the comedic side. The first is a boxing scene. After seeing an advertisement of a cash reward he enters himself into a boxing match. After some comedy in the dressing room our hero’s opponent walks out toward the ring, trainers in tow. Soon after we follow him as the derby hat wearing figure walks down a path through the spectators. Patches of cigarette smoke billow up from both side of the crowd as he climbs up the side and steps through the ropes.

The rules are explained to both men, followed by handshakes. Our hero, seeing this as a moment of reprieve continues to shake hands everyone in the ring. He walks to his opponent’s corner and shakes the trainers’ hands, tipping his cap. He then walks back to his corner. Funnily he tries to follow his cornermen out of the ring through then ropes, but is pushed back in and onto the stool.

An audible bell sound is heard and both men rose up and walk toward each other. I find this bit hilarious as instead of a traditional boxing match our hero takes a more...shall we say defensive approach. His opponent is facing him, who his facing the ref, and behind the ref, facing his back is the tramp. The move in almost a waltz like fashion, our hero hiding behind the ref. Every once and a while the ref moves and the tramp punches his opponent, which tickles my funny bone. At one point, both men, who are used to that motion are facing each other unimpeded, moving the same way. His opponent almost in a trance continues the waltzing movement as our hero lands punches, the other man at times sinking down to a squat and rising back up, like a buoy on the ocean. My favorite bit is when the tramp puts both hand on the man’s shoulders and tried to push him down, only to see him slowly rise up. I won’t describe the entire scene, but I find it hilarious and think it’s one that you’ll enjoy and come back to.

That’s one thing that’s brilliant about The Tramp, is that he can be placed in almost any situation. Something that by this time audiences had grown to love.

The versatility of the character within all those past short films is quite impressive. The Tramp wasn’t always depicted as the lovable character as seen in The Circus or City Lights. Although it’s true that a lot of the times he was that, he could also be daring, downtrodden, or charming.

In fact Chaplin details a conversation he had with Mack Sennett, head of the Keystone Film Company of the time in his autobiography:

“You know this fellow is many-sided, a tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure. He would have you believe he is a scientist, a musician, a duke, and a polo-player. However, he is not above picking up cigarette-butts or robbing a baby of its candy. And, of course, if the occasion warrants it, he will kick a lady in the rear—but only in extreme anger!”

This rings true in everything I’ve seen of this alter ego. Regardless what the situation is that he finds himself in, it’s believable. I think that’s why the boxing match ends up so well. We follow him on the journey, where I’m not sure we do the same with a different character.

Another of my favorite scenes is when he’s at a party at his wealthy friend’s mansion. He‘s in a bit of a state himself after consuming alcohol and is sitting on a couch. A server approaches from his right with metal tray that included napkins and silverware. As he removes one of each he placed them on his lap. Shortly after another server approaches to his left carrying what looks like a sun on a plate. It’s a dome with triangles along the side, pointing outward with some garnish as well. As the tramp looks down the server walks away as tje same shape appears in the same position. Our hero with spoon in hand motions against the shape as if to spoon liquid and baste the top. As the tramp does this, the shape moves and reveals itself to be a bald man’s head. The bald man removes the sun ray halo from his head, looking at our hero with astonishment and confusion. Soon the server comes back with the sun tray, but the appetite has been lost.

Next a woman sits next ro him on the couch blowing one of those uncoiling party horns. She places a whistle in his mouth and the tramp sounds off, playing with the whistle. Each time he exhales into the instrument an audible whistle is heard. Leaning back he continues to sound off until the woman turns to talk to someone behind him and hits our hero’s stomach, sending the whistle down the throat of our friend. He arches up and coughs repeatedly. Eventually the coughing stops and he gazes at the woman. He then hiccups and in lets out a sound of the whistle.

The crowd gathers for a speech shortly after and it’s so incredibly funny to watch and hear our friend, plagued by hiccups interrupt innocently with the sound of the whistle. This scene usually bring me to laughter induced crying, I find it absolutely hilarious.

Apart from the comedy there is so much that can be said about this film. The ending is quite beautiful and poignant, but as always...you’ll have to experience that for yourself.

I love this film so much. There is so much heart found throughout that I always come away with a smile and warm feeling of contentment and positivity. The idea of man with nothing, trying to earn enough to help another person is a beautiful sentiment. He’s a truly innocent character, just hoping to help the woman he loves even though he knows that it means she’ll be able to see him.

I find this film to be very inspiring. Every time I watch City Lights I usually have a drive to do something positive and creative. Even if that’s something as simple as treating my wife to a nice home cooked meal or partaking in a hobby for a bit. I can’t explain it, it’s one of those things I think...it either happens or it doesn’t, but for me it always does. I think no matter if you come away inspired or not, you will come away with some emotional connection. This film has a great way of pulling at the heart strings and tickling the funny bone. Either way, I’d love to know what you think.

At the end of the day Chaplin hit a home run with City Lights. Movie goers the world over flocked to theaters and raced about their experience. Choosing not to speak when talkies were in full swing was a measured risk. However, as my grandpa used to say...Measure twice, cut once. The risk rewarded him with an international hit that reached people in many ways and to this day is one of the director’s most popular films. Chaplin would again say no to the talkie five years later when he made Modern Times, though that film does have a bit of singing, which must have been quite a delight to witness upon release.

So if you’re looking for something to watch and leaning toward comedy, give City Lights a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

If you'd like to watch City Lights for yourself you can find it on various streaming platforms. At the time of this recording you can find City Lights on the Criterion Channel. The Criterion Channel has different pricing structures including $9.99 per month and $99 per year, which is what I chose to do. If you like film I highly recommend trying it out

You can also find City Lights on streaming services like Prime Video, Vudu, HBO Max, and Apple TV for either $2.99 or $3.99 to rent if you subscribe to those services. You can also find in on YouTube or Google Play for $2.99 to rent.

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