Review of The Circus (1928) by Kevin N — 26 Jun 2010

As far as straight, consistent laughs are concerned, Chaplin's films don't get better than this. Released between his two greatest masterpieces, this film is often forgotten or unfairly overlooked, but it is a beautifully orchestrated story with awe-inspiring set pieces and gags and a bittersweet ending which ranks among the artist's best- and that's saying something.

This was a decade where the great Buster Keaton proved that putting one's life on the line could lead to some of the heartiest laughs, and Chaplin seems to take a cur from his success; he takes his Tramp act to the tightropes and inside the lions cage for a series of dangerous routines which are both funny and daring.