The Circus (1928)

The more I see Charlie Chaplin, the more I like.

This silent film shows Chaplin in his usual Tramp character who accidentally joins the circus. Oh, and he doesn't get the girl . The plot is pretty straightforward but what makes this movie is Chaplin's acting.

This film took a lot of time to make. Chaplin was going through a divorce and there was a studio fire that caused delays. When the film was finally released a dramatic innovation happened in cinema: the ability to include sound. However, this was the 7th highest grossing silent film in history making over $3.8 million. Chaplin received a special Academy Award for this film - "For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus."

This film was reissued with a new musical score in 1970. I'm not sure which version I saw (I'm guessing 1970), but since nothing was added or subtracted (unlike The Gold Rush) it really shouldn't matter and the score shouldn't change that much, if at all.

83/100

Oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention that really impressed me. In one scene it shows 2 Charlie Chaplins on screen at one time. I didn't even think this was possible at that time.

bobrob2004 wrote:

This film was reissued with a new musical score in 1970. I'm not sure which version I saw (I'm guessing 1970),

I think you're right. I think Chaplin was the older version of George Lucas and liked to tweak his films a lot after they were released. I think all his films have newer music and the older versions don't really exist.

I just saw this. I don't really have a ton to say, but here's a review....

The Circus is directed by, produced by, written by, and stars Charlie Chaplin. This film is about a circus. It opens with Chaplin's tramp character being chased by the police at a circus. He is hired by the circus and is a big hit. There's also a love story thrown in. Overall, this was pretty funny. Unfortunately, I found the film significantly less funny once the police business was over. The rest of the film was amusing, but didn't live up to the beginning. Still, it's a pretty good film.

Chaplin is of course the most important actor in this film. He plays his tramp character quite well and delivers quite a few memorable scenes. These scenes aren't quite as memorable as those in some of his other films, but they're still good.

Overall, this isn't Chaplin's best work, but it's a good film nonetheless. It is surely a must-see for Charlie Chaplin fans.

77/100
C+

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