The Circus (1928) ****
Charlie Chaplin's final silent film, The Circus (1928) (rereleased in 1969 with a new score), was released just a few months after 1927's The Jazz Singer, the first feature-length motion picture with sound. This seems to inform the final shot of The Circus, which ends on a somber but hopeful note.
Chaplin's Tramp ends up a part of the titular troupe by accident, as he flees from the police after being mistaken for a pickpocket. The scene where he literally stumbles into the ring is one of the film's highlights (along with the earlier automaton gag, which is one of the best of Chaplin's career). Initially an unwitting comic performer, soon the Tramp finds himself the star of the show.
As he interacts with the various players—including falling in love with the show's bareback rider—there are many scenes and gags throughout that cause a smile, a laugh out loud, and tug at the heartstrings in equal measure. Additionally, there are sequences with in-camera f/x that still hold up amazingly well and, with their tangible quality, are more impressive, effective and affective to me than the heavy reliance on CGI in films today. In the end, the Tramp also makes a selfless sacrifice that gives the finale an added sense of pathos.
You can find my Charles Chaplin Feature Films Ranked list here.
Chaplin's Tramp ends up a part of the titular troupe by accident, as he flees from the police after being mistaken for a pickpocket. The scene where he literally stumbles into the ring is one of the film's highlights (along with the earlier automaton gag, which is one of the best of Chaplin's career). Initially an unwitting comic performer, soon the Tramp finds himself the star of the show.
As he interacts with the various players—including falling in love with the show's bareback rider—there are many scenes and gags throughout that cause a smile, a laugh out loud, and tug at the heartstrings in equal measure. Additionally, there are sequences with in-camera f/x that still hold up amazingly well and, with their tangible quality, are more impressive, effective and affective to me than the heavy reliance on CGI in films today. In the end, the Tramp also makes a selfless sacrifice that gives the finale an added sense of pathos.
You can find my Charles Chaplin Feature Films Ranked list here.
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