TobinTelleran
It is truly amazing that Chaplin is able to deliver such a remarkable performance and tell a great tale through acting and visuals alone.There are some truly great scenes where he brings all of his skill to light.At 135 mins I thought that this was going to be a slog but the pacing is perfect and the story is intriguing.Chaplin's best film in my opinion.
gea-79784
I'm not a very big fan of silent films, but Gold Rush was funny enough to hold my attention for the whole film. Charlie Chaplin revises his famous role of the little tramp, this time he's out to make it big in the Alaskan gold rush. Chaplin is just exquisite as always, he's so good at acting and being funny using just his movements and mannerisms. He works especially well alongside Mack Swain who plays another prospector. The scenes where Swain sees Chaplin as a giant chicken so he chases him in circles around the cabin are hysterical. This is where the film shines and is the best utilization i have seen of a silent film.
Anssi Vartiainen
One of Charlie Chaplin's earliest films and still counted amongst his best. In it his signature character, The Tramp, returns in order to look for gold in the Great Klondike Gold Rush.The plot of the film isn't overly complex. None of the Chaplin plots are. Tramp wanders around, gets into trouble, meets a girl, suffers from misfortune, only to end on a happy note. What makes these films so lasting is the comedy and the great drama that is always present despite the comedy. And very much so in here where the harshness of the time period and the harshness of the location emphasize the drama and the suffering, making the light-hearted scenes all the sweeter for it.And the comedy is really good. Personally, as a man born near the end of the century, I do find it a bit slapsticky and repetitive. But that's the nature of comedy, of art in general. People change, societies change and thus tastes change. I can still appreciate it and the impact it has left without rolling on the floor tears of laughter in my eyes.The Gold Rush is Charlie Chaplin in a nutshell. City Lights emphasizes his storytelling and dramatic moments, but this has better comedy in my opinion. Definitely worth a watch for all interested in the roots of cinematic comedy.
John Brooks
Another classic Chaplin. As usual, and interestingly, although the story and plot are finely coherent, it could be said this film represents more a cluster of morals with each part conveying a particular sense and meaning, rather than how films classically supply one big singular morality at the end. Chaplin's films, though again certainly coherent and finely constructed, have that quality reminiscent of sketches; separate parts that work together as an ensemble; which only works in generating more entertainment for the viewer as he's given a wider palette of thought, visuals and humor. In this one Chaplin showcases his unique ability to make a scene out of nothing, create value out of very little going on, and if ever you'd find it unfunny it is at very least certainly very creative. I'd imagine everybody would laugh wholeheartedly at least once during this. Finally, as always with Chaplin, ultimately this is a tale of humanity, and one that highlights the endearing fact of the 'little guy', the oddball; so unlikely to succeed or fit in anywhere, who yet manages a whole lot more than any of that.
AD
