Review of Modern Times (1936) by Mitchell W — 13 Apr 2008

Silent comedy reached its apex in the late 20's, but with the advent of sound, its greatest practitioners were marginalized. Buster Keaton was misused then forgotten. Harold Lloyd had mixed success before retiring altogether.

Chaplin was the great exception. He made just two features in the 1930's, but his career remained intact. With "City Lights" in 1931, Chaplin overcame sound simply by ignoring it to a contemptuous degree. He got away with it, thanks to his immense popularity, but he didn't hold out forever. Here, in his final appearance as "the Tramp," he makes a compromise. He isn't completely won over by the new way of filmmaking, but his derision of sound blends wonderfully into this satire on communication, rising industry and technology swelling out of humanity's reach. It may be Chaplin's most sophisticated picture (with many ideas presaging George Orwell's mature work), but it's still classic entertainment, with Chaplin's gifts as a physical comedian on full display.