A Filmmaker's Guide: "City Lights" (1931)

"City Lights" (1931) is possibly one of Charlie Chaplin's most famous cinema features and yet, so little people in the 21st century have actually seen it. What we're going to do today, to celebrate the release day of this spectacular film, is go through the following:

1) The premise

2) The reception of the film both initial and in the following years

3) The legacy of the film

4) Why this film is considered one of the most beloved comedy films of all time

Personally, this is one of my favourite films by Chaplin and I have a massive poster of it on my bedroom wall. It's such a clever film and makes use of the little production technology it had - such as sound and colour that it didn't get much of. "City Lights" (1931) is a masterpiece and so, with that said, let's start to go through what this film is actually about.

The Premise:

After being chased on some escapades after falling asleep in the arms of a sculpture as it was being unveiled, the Little Tramp has returned to the screen for more comedy and most importantly, more story. In this story, he sees a flower girl on the street and thinks she is beautiful. Whilst buying a flower, he also realises that she is, in fact, blind. This same girl then mistakes him for a wealthy man who owns a fancy car.

After the Little Tramp saves a millionaire man from committing suicide, the man takes the Tramp back to his mansion home for some champagne and then, after trying to commit suicide again - they decide to go out for the night instead of stay indoors. The next morning, he sees the flower girl again on the street corner and, getting some money from the millionaire man he saved, he catches up with the girl and buys her all the flowers, driving her in the man's fancy car.

The flower girl then tells her grandmother about her rich friend and the Tramp is returning to the man's mansion and yet, the man doesn't remember who he is and kicks him out of the house. But, that night the man becomes drunk again, recognising the Tramp - he invites him to a party. The next morning, the millionaire is sober again and the Tramp is kicked out.

The flower girl is not seen on her street the next morning and so the Tramp goes to her home where her grandmother is sick. In order to help out, the Tramp takes a job as a road-sweeper. When he gets on his lunch break, he takes groceries to the flower girl's home and reads aloud a newspaper regarding a doctor's cure for blindness. She states that it is wonderful news that she'll be able to see him, but not being the wealthy man he was mistaken to be, he is clearly under pressure. Be that as it may, as he leaves he promises to pay her rent after finding an eviction notice in the house.

Having been late a few times, the Tramp returns to work to find himself fired. A rogue boxer convinces him to take a fight and split the prize money. However, learning he is about to be arrested, the boxer runs away and the opposing fighter knocks the Tramp out cold. In this occasion, the drunken millionaire once again invites the Tramp to his mansion. After explaining his position, the millionaire gives him money to help the girl he loves. But burglars knock the millionaire man out and take the rest of the money.

The police find the Tramp with a lot of money, given to him by the millionaire and then he evades police long enough to get the money to the flower girl. He is then apprehended and imprisoned after telling the girl he's going to go away for some time.

After some months, the Tramp is released and goes to the street corner to realise the girl is not there. The girl now runs a flower shop, her sight is restored and she lives with her grandmother. She wonders about whether her benefactor has returned - she is obviously thinking about the Tramp, but has no idea who he is.

The Tramp stops by the shop and after pulling a flower from the gutter, he encounters the newsboys once more and then, going into the shop - the flower girl notices him and breaks a smile. After some deliberation, she realises who he is and they both encounter a joyful time as they meet each other once again and the film ends.

Initial Release

The film's gala premiere was on the 30th of January, 1931 after the Tower Premiere that was pretty secret. The film itself received a standing ovation and, in response to the great release, Chaplin demanded higher ticket prices than the recent phenomenon of 'talkies'. Be that as it may, Chaplin was terrified that silent films were becoming old and obsolete, but he still managed to pull in a colossal audience. The LA Examiner stated in its initial review:

"...not since I reviewed the first Chaplin comedies way back in the two-reel days has Charlie given us such an orgy of laughs."

The New York Times in their initial review stated it was "a film worked out with admirable artistry"

Re-Release

The re-release of City Lights (1931) came in 1950 and in anticipation of that, James Agee wrote in his article on the movie that is was the "greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid." Orson Welles also stated that it was his favourite film of all time. Stanley Kubrick ranked "City Lights" (1931) amongst his top ten favourite films of all time and Fellini could not stop praising it to the point he put references to it in his own film: "Nights of Cabiria" (1957). The final scene of Woody Allen's "Manhattan" is said to be based on "City Lights" as well and here's how it was rated in the magazines and press:

Legacy

In "Sight and Sound" Magazine, "City Lights" was rated as the second greatest film of all time. AFI's 10 Top 10 Rom-Com films, "City Lights" was rated as the greatest Rom-Com of all time. The Tramp was the 38th Greatest Hero according to AFI's top 100 heroes and in the 100 years, 100 laughs by AFI, "City Lights" was number 38.

It was entered into the Library of Congress, National Film Registry in 1992 for being culturally important.

Conclusion: Why is it so Beloved?

Number one, City Lights (1931) is so beloved because so many directors from Kubrick to Fellini to Welles to Tarkovsky have noted to be respecting the movie as one of their favourites and main points of inspiration. When it comes down to it, this movie displays some of the earliest, happiest and most wholesome aspects of the Rom-Com, which has since been lost in the 21st Century. Rom-Coms nowadays are not as deep and meaningful, don't have nearly as much story and don't even have half as much heart as "City Lights" (1931). And, as one of my personal favourite movies (definitely in my top 30), it remains in the hearts of many film fans and many die hard Chaplin fans.

Check out the trailer and happy "City Lights" release day!