Review of City Lights (1931) by Daniel M — 24 Mar 2011

My favorite movie!(Was originaly on sixth,but it's amazing how much power a single rewatch can have.).

This is just another beautiful work of art from the masterpiece filled career of(quoting Bernard Shaw):"The only genius to come out of the movie industry",indeed,he's the only one,he directed,acted,wrote,produced and composed any of his brilliant masterpieces!...The greatest filmmaker of all times!

Well,what else to say? this magnificent 79 years old classic will never "grow old",lol.Definitely,one of the best movies ever made(top 5),or who knows? maybe the best...

As usual,Chaplin is an expert showing us the rich-poor people contrasts,but it was rare and extremely risky to release a silent film on the already talkin' Hollywood,but it's success was huge,being,since the day it was released,an instant classic...

Performances:Not even Buster Keaton's in The General or Harold Lloyd's in Safety Last can be compared with Chaplin's signature humor.

The Oscar:Best movie of the year Cimarron? give me a break! lots of great movies were released the same year:Frankenstein,Dracula,The Public Enemy,Little Caesar,and the best of them,City Lights!Damn it!

Recognitions:

-Orson Welles,Citizen Kane's director said that City Lights was the best movie ever made.

-Kubrick's fifth favorite.

-Andrei Tarkovski(Russian Director)also placed it fifth.

-James Agee,about the final scene:"the greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid.".

-Sight and Sound recognized this movie(first edition)as the second greatest.

I nearly cried at the ending!

Unique Stuff:

-Best Silent Film(Sorry Battleship Potemkin!

-Best Romantic Comedy.

-Best silent comedy performance.

-Best Chaplin movie.

-Best box scene(comedy).

-Best Silent film music score.

-Final Chaplin silent work.

-Second greatest ending.

-Most tender film ever.

-Third greatest comedy.

Masterpiece Rank:Yes! Rt meter:100% fuck yeah!!!!!

Classic Scene:Ending.

Favorite Scene:Ending too!

Famous Quote:"Tomorrow the birds will sing...".

"In City Lights,the last scene ... I'm not acting .... Almost apologetic, standing outside myself and looking ... It's a beautiful scene, beautiful,and because it isn't over-acted."(Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin).