Quick Movie Review: Modern Times (1936)

Modern Times (1936)

Bottomline: An absolute masterpiece.

Interesting Fact: The last of Chaplin’s talkies. It was originally written to be a full sound film but Chaplin made the decison to only have certain parts filmed with sound.

Charlie Chaplin: 1889-1977

Paulette Goddard: 1910-1990

Where Can I See This Film? Watch for it on Turner Classic Movies. It is available for rent on DVD.

QMR Opinion:
I’ll be the first to admit that as a cinephile, I don’t watch enough silent films. Until now, the only silent film I’ve reviewed on my blog has been Buster Keaton’s The General (1926). To see that review, just click on the link located along the left nav. Then on a whim not too long ago, I recorded Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. It’s his warning against the dehumanizing of our lives by becoming too reliant upon machines. It’s interesting that a film made in 1936 rings so true in the 21st Century. We wring our hands worrying that computers and electronics are becoming pale substitutes for human interaction. Sure, there have been a myriad of films warning us of the dangers of putting too much faith and power into the hands of machines (The Terminator (1984) comes to mind), but Chaplin’s Modern Times puts a human face on the takeover of the machine. Simply put, this film is a cinematic masterpiece. In this day of 3 Dimensions, digital projection, and mind-blowing sound, there’s something almost surreal about watching a movie that you really have to pay attention to. I’m not going to bore you with all of the usual platitudes about Chaplin’s creative genius. . .suffice to say his abilities are in top form here. But what you may not realize is that Chaplin is a genuinely top-notch actor. I was amazed at his deftness with physical comedy. It is so smooth and effortless. Watch the skating scene in the department store and tell me you aren’t simply in awe. I laughed until I cried when Chaplin’s character has a nervous breakdown in the factory. Then be prepared to watch a coked-up Charlie Chaplin. This film moves along at a quick clip but never forgets the central core of its theme – it is our humanity that matters. That humanity is illustrated by Chaplin’s Little Tramp but then we are introduced to the glory that is Paulette Goddard. She is absolutely beautiful and a wonderful actress for this film. Turner Classic Movies will show Chaplin films from time to time so keep your eyes open. Plus, the film is available on DVD for rent.