Modern Times is Charlie Chaplin's first film since the invention of a "talking movie" was invented. The thing is that Chaplin didn't think that he would be as funny in a movie with sound, so he more or less kept it a "silent movie". The dialog is still done with dialog cards and a score (written by Chaplin himself) permeates the movie, as with most silent films. Occasionally in the film there is sound effects of levers being pulled and things of that nature. There are even scenes in which actors actually talk, but these moments are limited to scenes of faces on TV screens doing the talking. This adds to the effect of the film, which is the decentralization of the individual in the modern industrial era.
The film focuses on the tramp character, played by Chaplin, who can't do anything right. He is always fired from his jobs and is constantly thrown in prison for various things. Eventually he meets a young woman (whom his real wife plays in the movie) who steals bread to feed her sisters. They fall in love and try to make it in the real world.
Modern Times was called anti-American and Chaplin was even called a Communist (which he denied of course). I assume it was called these things because the movie challenged and made fun of the capitalist way of life and how it doesn't work out for most people. The film is very funny and Chalin managed to hit the nail right on the head as far as his critique of industrialization goes.
4 1/2 stars
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