Charlie Chaplin once came in third place in a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest, according to his son. How’s that for a story?
Chaplin was a master of storytelling himself during his cinematic reign, even in an era of silent films. And earlier this year marked the 90th anniversary of the release of arguably his finest movie ever — although it wasn’t entirely silent, interestingly enough.
Modern Times is a timeless classic for a number of reasons: It showcases Chaplin’s expertise in physical comedy while also paving the way for his future in “talkies,” for the film’s climactic scene suddenly features diegetic audio so that we can hear his infamous “Little Tramp” character sing nonsensical gibberish (if you haven’t seen the movie, just you wait).
Added to all that, Chaplin’s 1936 feature offers impactful social commentary on the times, skewering industrialized America to political perfection. Here’s the official synopsis of Modern Times, which holds a whopping 98% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes:
The Tramp finds himself employed at a state-of-the-art factory where the inescapable machinery completely overwhelms him, and where various mishaps keep getting him sent to prison. In between his various jail stints, he meets and befriends an orphan girl (Paulette Goddard). Both together and apart, they try to contend with the difficulties of modern life, with the Tramp working as a waiter and eventually a performer…
Modern Times is also ranked at No. 8 on Rotten Tomatoes’ sprawling list of 300 Best Movies of All Time, in case you needed extra convincing to give the throwback feature a go. Oh, and it’s also featured on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time.
Decades later, Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. would portray the late, great performer in a biopic simply titled Chaplin. The Oppenheimer star would receive an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the Modern Times mastermind.
