Chaplin's last film of the silent era (but not silent film) is The Circus, and though I know it was a production fraught with problems, and Chaplin's personal life was going down the drain, it really doesn't show. It is as mad, amusing, and gentle as any of his classics. The Tramp accidentally joins a circus is the "plot", the setting being used for a lot of fun bits, but also impressive wire work. The actors seem to be doing all of the daredevil stuff for real, though there may be some trickery and I can't see it. Giving Charlie a big, fat security wire when he has to do the high-wire act is perhaps an act of genius, because it makes you expect that thick a rope on any performance up high, hiding actual wires not just from your eyes, but from your mind. Then again, Chaplin also puts himself in a lion's cage to get laughs, so this is some maverick Jackie Chan kind of stuff. Interestingly, the love story doesn't end the way these things normally do.
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Comments 1 - 9 of 9
landencelano
Gag for gag Chaplins funniest and least sentimental film. Nothing but the funny. Love it.weirdboy
Yet more proof that adding monkeys to a scene always makes it funnier.Siskoid
Chaplin's last film of the silent era (but not silent film) is The Circus, and though I know it was a production fraught with problems, and Chaplin's personal life was going down the drain, it really doesn't show. It is as mad, amusing, and gentle as any of his classics. The Tramp accidentally joins a circus is the "plot", the setting being used for a lot of fun bits, but also impressive wire work. The actors seem to be doing all of the daredevil stuff for real, though there may be some trickery and I can't see it. Giving Charlie a big, fat security wire when he has to do the high-wire act is perhaps an act of genius, because it makes you expect that thick a rope on any performance up high, hiding actual wires not just from your eyes, but from your mind. Then again, Chaplin also puts himself in a lion's cage to get laughs, so this is some maverick Jackie Chan kind of stuff. Interestingly, the love story doesn't end the way these things normally do.Nine99
Not the best Chaplin movie, but good.ecnered
The funniest of all Chaplin films!akuma587
One of Chaplin's best.deepak1990
Loved the movie :)Joker of Gotham
One of the funniest of Chaplin movies, but the best Charlie Chaplin movie is the gold rush3.5/5
MMDan
http://ffilms.org/the-circus-1928/