Review of The Gold Rush (1925) by Sean W — 29 Feb 2012

Charlie has often been quoted saying that this is the film he wanted to be most remembered by. And it's absolutely the perfect film for him to be remembered by.

The Gold Rush sets the Tramp as the "Lone Prospector" trying to find fortune in the snowy alps of the Yukon. After getting trapped in a snowstorm, his luck changes when he meets and falls in love with one of the local girls, who unfortunately won't give him the light of day.

Before I get into the review let me just say that there are two versions of this film. There's the original completely silent version. Then, there's the re-edited 1942 version that has narration by the man himself as well as a different score.

The Gold Rush is my absolute favorite Charlie Chaplin film. Why? Because it painstakingly showcases what made Chaplin a genius, and everything it showcases is absolutely amazing. It's his funniest, most touching, most uplifting, most impressive film of his career. Well, it's not his funniest, it's more like it's second funniest. But there are such a ridiculous amount of ingenious moments that it much more than makes up for it. What makes this film so special is that Charlie's most iconic, influential and popular gags can be found here. There's the chicken hallucination, the boot dinner scene, the snow-shovelling scene, the dancing saggy pants scene, and of course, Chaplin's greatest moment, the dinner roll dance.

It's one of my favorite scenes of all time. It's just the greatest thing EVER! There's something about the look on Chaplin's face, the brilliant pantomime that's completely captivating and hugely hilarious. The scene has been recreated many times, but nobody even comes close to touching Charlie's scene. It's the pitch-perfect display of Charlie's talent and ability. The way he communiactes with his eyes, his little glances, the subtle arm movements and the perfect precision of the actual steps is nothing but brilliance. The dance is more than enough to make the film worth seeing. But unless you're an unfeeling zombie of a human being, then it's not the only reason to see this film. Charlie's incredible ability to effortlessly mend together romance, slapstick, and brilliant storytelling is dumbfounding.

If you haven't seen the film yet, then I recommend you seek out the original version first. Well, actually if you buy the DVD, it should have both versions. But I do like the original better but in some ways I don't. The ending is better in the original, and the sound (without narration and with a better score) is better. Although, there is a strange change in the story that I feel is much better in the later version. If there was some way to combine them (sound of original, story of later version but with the ending of original) it would be perfect. The later version with the narration isn't bad, it's actually still really great. It's just different. The original feels more familiar and watching Charlie feels more "at home." It's how it was meant to be seen. Even so, the later version is still great. I suppose it's a matter of taste. Some people find narration annoying. I don't. So, see both versions!

With or without narration, Charlie is always a giant ball of energy, charm, and hilarity. I could watch film twenty times a day and still never get sick of it. It never ceases to amaze me how prolific he is at making you laugh, feel, and smile. A masterpiece in every sense of the world.