Most of us have associated Charlie Chaplin’s name with a funny character in black and white short silent films of the 20s, a looser, a tramp, somebody who is not only the victim of circumstances but a person who confronts the results of his own silliness. His figure is so strong that even a person who has not seen a single movie of his immediately recognizes him. A worn-out hat, a dirty jacket, a cane, and a characteristic funny way of walking. However, most of the people who are not familiar with the classical cinema may not know that Chaplin has released also full-length movies and that there is a strong left-wing political concept in most of his works.
Modern Times, is the fifth movie of the third Charlie Chaplin era, working with the United Artists. Unlike his previous films, in Modern Times there is strong Marxist element. The tramp is not presented as the typical wanderer, but as a poor worker, victim of the hard capitalist system. Charlie’s anti-establishment mutiny is more obvious in Modern Times comparing to other films he has done.
First part: As we can see in the first video of the playlist (1:12) the film opens with a scene of sheep-cattle moving along and crossfaded with a similar scene of people (workers) who go to the factory as it is time to work. He clearly points out that the capitalist system has turned the people to a cattle of workers, a mass who does nothing more than work hard and get paid as less as possible while the rich boss man (the factory owner) is happy and relaxed in his room and able to watch over every single person inside the factory via a developed camera system (a Big-Brother like figure). Nobody can do different to the boss’s orders. Therefore Chaplin is called to be used as an assayer to a new invention, a machine that helps people to eat without moving!
After the unsuccessful attempt Chaplin will go back to his work but this time he will have a nervous breakdown. Unable to control his actions he will start squirting oil to others until he will be fired by the factory owner. This is undoubtedly a punch to industrialization, a system completely disharmonious with the human nature.
Human existence and technology is obviously a tricky combination. Automation, the results of the technological evolution in combination with profit has replaced man and his fragility with a perfect machine. Is it really worthwhile? How can a world where profit comes before humans be helped from that?
Chaplin makes a valid interpretation of the relationship between time and science. He despises the benefits of a technological contribution to a capitalist lifestyle. A machine is a dangerous tool in the hands of a few greedy individuals. Full control upon others, less working hands and fast production are some results of the automation. During the Great Depression in the USA the workers were being pushed to go faster and faster in order the businesses to cover the loss. Mass job cuts took place as expensive human force was replaced by machines.
Second part: A typical Chaplin the victim of unfortunate events, will end up in prison as accidentally the police forces will associate him with the leader of a communist rally. In fact, Charlie disaproves of the anticommunist hysteria of the Western society. However luck will smile at him. As the right person in the right time when the police station will be attacked by crooks he will successfully confront them. As a reward, the authorities will release him. Paulette Goddard, appears firstly in (1:40) of the τhird video. In the movie she is a poor young girl forced to steal goods to feed her two young sisters and her unemployed father. Chaplin shows living in a society that fails to provide the basic a human needs and some people have no other choice instead of robbing. A thief is not always an objurgated person.
But more bad news are coming when she sees her father shot dead during a protest. Her sisters will be given to an orphanage as they are below the appropriate age to support themselves.
Poverty and lack of welfare is a major problem in a capitalist society. Chaplin would like to find himself back to prison where at least he could ensure food and water rather than suffering from homelessness and starvation. His meeting with Paulette will end up to a mild romance as they both share the same problems, they are both united under a common struggle.
Third part: In most of the previous part the scenes of Charlie and Paulette appear parallel until their lives cross the same path. Indeed this is a wonderful texture that reflects Chaplin’s cleverness, high creativity and the sense of human touch which is present in almost all his work.
Very interesting is the scene at 4:40 (4th video) where Charlie and Paulette are siting down on a pavement outside of a middle-class house making plans for the future. A proper house where they will both be happy and enjoy whatever their hearts desire, leaving poverty and troubles behind. There is an element of optimism here; they both can sustain to work hard and enjoy a Western type materialistic life and not have to suffer in a barrack which is “not the Buckingham palace”. Here Chaplin very provocatively points out the huge division between rich and poor as a result of the capitalist system.
As it is mentioned above, in this movie Chaplin’s luck is shinning. Another great work opportunity arrives. He learns that the night watcher of a store had a massive accident, and of course Charlie replaces him. Perhaps, he disapproves of a system that allows people to live by the others’ misery.
An unexpected event brakes the serenity of the texture again. During his night-watching he will be attacked by a gang. Of course one member is his ex-colleague from the factory of the first part of the movie. An ex- worker, victim of the massive unemployment has joined a gang perhaps as the only way to escape poverty. The morning will find him drunk under a pile of clothes in front of the eyes of the customers ending up redundant again.
Fourth part: Charlie will finally find the job that suits him. After making a lot of attempts, accepting offers of low-paying jobs with little success, he ends up a waiter-singer. Nevertheless, luck has betrayed him. The authorities who were ordered to arrest his girlfriend will try to get her from the restaurant. She tries to escape together with Charlie and with no other choice they abandon the place. The movie ends with Charlie and Paulette in a country road agreeing to continue trying for a better life.
Why Charlie sung a song in Italian rather than a popular American song? Perhaps he wanted to represent a clear picture of the “Modern Living” (Modern Times). During the mid war a lot of Italians left their country and emigrated to the US, Australia and Canada in order to escape from the rise of the fascist Mussolini. As a consequence, the music in America received a lot of influences from the Italian immigrants. Generally the music in the film is jazz, mixed with Italian (a lot of influences from Naples folk music are present). It is important to mention that Charlie was also a composer and he wrote the music of the film which enjoys a great congruence.
This is perhaps one of the most overtly political films to date together with the Great Dictator. Anarchic, revolutionary, surreal, and timeless – Modern Times is a masterpiece. Beyond politics, Charlie has sent another important message to us. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you will always find troubles in your life. Keep smiling and don’t give up.
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