Delayed Reaction: Modern Times

The Pitch: Charlie Chaplin isn't quite ready to make a full talkie yet.

There's not a comparison these days to the context in which Modern Times was released. By 1936, "talkies" had taken over pretty completely. Even as a hybrid film, Modern Times must've felt very dated in the Tramp's final act. Then again, it wasn't like The Artist coming out in 2011. It wasn't a novelty. It was a hold-out, like I imagine many black and white features were in the late 60s. People responded well enough though. Quality tends to find a way to stay relevant no matter what. There are some great physical gags like the assembly line and when the tramp gets stuck in the gears. That part looks both really fun and rife with ways to get injured. It's got the Tramp singing, which is unique. Paulette Goddard was a charming female lead. I look forward to seeing her in The Great Dictator as well.

I'll admit that I haven't developed the patience for silent films, or at least Chaplin's flavor of them. Despite not even being 90 minutes, like The Gold Rush, I got a little exhausted by the end. It felt more like a collection of physical gags than a story. That's on me though. I'll figure out how to watch these movies eventually. Perhaps I should move to Buster Keaton next, or finally get to Nosferatu.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend