'City Lights': Chaplin's highlight moments

Candelario 2022-03-16 09:01:03

I've been writing absurd comedy scripts recently, and I've watched a few comedies. The one that impressed me the most was Chaplin's "City Lights." What attracted me at first was a color still from this movie. Everyone knows that most of Chaplin's films are black and white silent films, so why are there color stills? Among the black and white stills, this color is particularly eye-catching and impressive. The restoration of the color to a certain extent, the most significant restoration even romanticized this scene, making the love between the tramp and the flower girl. More classic and immortal.

In any era, the love of little people is moving. I have seen many love disputes between talents, beauties, princes and generals, and their love is full of various interests and entanglements. On the contrary, the love stories of little people are pure and beautiful. The way love should be.

The story of "City Lights" is quite simple. It can be said in one sentence. A homeless man met a blind flower girl. He tried every means to help her cure her eye disease, but in the process, he encountered various Misfortune and humiliation. The end of the story is said to be a classic in film history. The flower girl regained light with the help of the homeless and opened a flower shop. The two of them finally met again. When the flower girl recognized Chaplin, Chaplin showed shyness. And the beautiful smile is like a simple and innocent little boy.

The title of the film is self-evident. What is the light in the city? Is it neon? Is it a traffic light? Or the lamp waiting for you to go home? Love is the light that lights up the city, the light of the city is the light of love. When her eyes were not healed, she said "she's not just a rich man," will she still say such things when her eyes are healed? At the end, a smile from Chaplin leaves us with unlimited imagination.

Some people say that the funny and plot methods in this film are outdated, I just want to say, you are blind, are you blind? City Lights, such a good-looking movie, can't you see the truth, goodness and beauty of the world?

Gogol said, "If we focus on watching a funny story for a long time, it will become more and more sad." Lu Xun said, "Tragedy destroys the valuable things in life, and comedy destroys the worthless things in life. The value is torn apart for others to see." If strictly speaking, "City Lights" is a tragicomedy in my opinion. We have seen all kinds of sadness and embarrassment of the little people, but the little people are not worthy of love? Also saw the funny and helpless life. Through Chaplin's exaggerated and stylized interpretation, the film's status in film history has been established. To be honest, I have seen so many comedies, only Chaplin impressed me the most, and the others seemed to be unimpressed. Chaplin's screen image can be said to be eternal. I haven't watched any of Chaplin's films carefully and completely before. Until this one, I found out that Chaplin's short stature, thick eyebrows caused by makeup, small Beard, fat trousers, walking like a duck, are all classic symbols that immortalize him. From then on, the performance form of world movies is close to life, and exaggerated forms like his, no one dares or does not. Someone will surpass.

The reason why Chaplin is classic is also inseparable from his origin, the king of comedy on the screen, the prodigal son in life, Chaplin was born in a family of performing arts in London, England, his parents separated when he was very young, "Hungry, Cold and Poverty" Shame may affect a person's life." Parents divorced prematurely and his mother's psychotic episodes made Chaplin's genius comedy with a deep fear. Women with different faces to digest. Chaplin's famous women include four wives and four girlfriends.

Chaplin's poem to his last wife, Oona:

The world is like a giant circus

it excites you

but make me terrified

'Cause I know it's always after

Limited warmth, infinite heartache

View more about City Lights reviews

Extended Reading

City Lights quotes

  • A Blind Girl: Thank you for your kindness, sir.

  • The Blind Girl's Grandmother: He must be wealthy.

    A Blind Girl: Yes, but he's more than that.