Because of the film history work, I revisited the master's work, and I have forgotten whether I watched it for the fourth or fifth time, but this is the case. At the end, I was still very moved when I saw Charlo and the wandering girl holding hands and walking towards the dawning sun. , almost in tears.
Maybe that's why a classic is a classic.
Speaking of Chaplin, people always say that "The Gold Rush" is his most representative work. Indeed, "Modern Times" is not as dense as "The Gold Rush", and the image of the homeless person in the film has long been forged in "The Gold Rush". But I still think that "Modern" is his most classic film, it can even be called great, this is a work that can immortalize Chaplin.
Because in this film, Chaplin used his hilarious and exaggerated performances to show the fate of little people under industrial civilization, and to reveal the huge contradictions in capitalist society, in which human beings struggle to survive - the advent of the machine age even Let us even lose our foothold, and we all know that this contradiction cannot be completely resolved. Chaplin satirizes the world with his almost absurd stories, so that today, more than 80 years later, let's look at it again. I still feel sad.
Charlo had a moustache and was released from prison on a gentleman's stick. He was not very lucky, he was always very unlucky, as if any unfortunate thing in the world would fall on his head. Just released, because of a flag, he was inexplicably mistaken for a reactionary leader and was arrested again. After being imprisoned, he was bullied because he was short and thin and could not eat. The criminal next door was stealing drugs. He secretly poured white powder into the condiment jar to avoid the police's search. Our unlucky male protagonist ate this bright and physical thing by mistake, but he got a chance to change his fate. , the powder made him excited and extremely powerful, which made him neutral in dealing with the gangsters who broke into the police station, and because of this, he was promoted to the "luxury" cell and lived a "comfortable" life for a few days.
But the good times didn't last long. Charlo was released for meritorious deeds. He was free but worried about it. In the era of the Great Depression, he couldn't find a job, which meant that he would have to live a wandering home. Life.
This passage has a bit of a meaning of "disasters and blessings depend on, and blessings and disasters lie in the back", but unlike ancient Chinese dialectical thought, Charlot is completely passive and helpless. He is pushed away by fate. There is no room for resistance at all. All the misfortunes and fortunes always come so inexplicably, even absurd, but this is a true portrayal of the people at the bottom of the society. They are weak, powerless and powerless. The times seem so frail as mustard seeds, and their fate can never be in their own hands.
Even, they are willing to exchange freedom for daily food and clothing.
It is not clear whether it is the misfortune of the characters or the misfortune of the times. It is not clear whether this is the fall of mankind or the fall of society.
But Charlo has never given up, and this is the most dazzling light on him. He is a clumsy person, can't do factory work well, and put people's unfinished ships into the sea in one day at the shipyard, but he always maintains a kind, enthusiastic and optimistic spirit, and treats people with courtesy. When he met a homeless orphan girl, he wanted to put her in jail for the theft to "enjoy happiness", but the two finally met in a police car. Charlo took off his gentleman's hat and asked the lady to sit down. Seeing her eyes filled with tears, he He persuaded her gracefully, and then, he started "Escape to the End of the World" with the homeless girl. He would ice skating in the mall to make her happy, let her sleep on the comfortable big bed, and cover her with a quilt before leaving. With the lights off, he is so attentive and gentle, always full of caring for others, even when he is in trouble. But bad luck and bad luck, the two were driven away again, and the homeless girl was very sad. In front of the house of all the rich, Charlot encouraged her to imagine their future life: fresh fruit is easy to pick, healthy Shuo's cows are on call, gorgeous curtains, delicious steaks, ah, what a warm home, the homeless girls are moved by it, and they are determined to challenge life again.
Seeing this, we will realize that this is not what we are, until today, aren't young people working hard in the city for a warm home? This simple ideal is so rare. We don’t know how much hard work we’ve made for it, how many sad tears we’ve left behind, how many injustices we’ve silently swallowed, and how many blows we’ve suffered, but we still suffer for it. After struggling hard, Charlo told us with practical actions that no matter how difficult our survival situation is, no matter how humble our identity is, we are human beings, and we always have the right to pursue our own happiness. For that alone, I am in awe of this little tramp, he is a real gentleman, he respects his own life and the meaning of life, he never struggles and never compromises.
The background atmosphere of the whole film is actually depressing, whether it is the comparison between the sheep to be slaughtered and the people at the beginning, Charlo's mental illness, or the death of the homeless daughter's father, not to mention the poor male protagonist again and again. Unemployment, the cruelty of society is diluted by Charlot's funny and optimistic smile. In my opinion, Chaplin's magical reality shows us all the injustices of this world and the resistance of human beings. A work can be called great, it must not only expose and criticize, but also have bright and positive spiritual power. Only in this way can we promote our society to become better and better, and can give human beings, especially the majority of the little people, the benefits. Consolation, encourage us to never give up hope and pursuit of the future. Chaplin did it.
The final chapter of the film is "Dawn", which is also the plot that made me cry. The hero and heroine walk hand in hand under the light of dawn to the future. Although everything has to start anew, who can say that the future is not bright? The road is at your feet, all you have to do is to walk on forever full of hope.
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