Modern Times By Charlie Chaplin

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Recommended: Film industry big 5 and the great depression

The film Modern Times came out in 1936 and was directed, produced, written, scored, and starred by Charlie Chaplin. It was filmed between 1932-1936. During this time The Great Depression was taking place in American and affecting millions of people. It was a silent film and Chaplin’s last silent movie. Chaplin brought humor to the struggles that a man faces during this time. This man in particular is very comical and likes a lot of things that most people would find as disadvantages. It is very interesting, because the dialogue is not in synch with the film. At first the movie was going to have sound, but it was switched so the camera frame speed could be at whatever. Not having a voice gives The Tramp a likeable characteristic. He never tries to be somebody he is not through his words, and his physical humor is universally enjoyed. One of the best scenes in the film is the conveyor belt sequence at the Electro Steel factory. The conveyor belt sequence shows how Henry Ford’s “Fordism” was taking over America. The Tramp is working on screwing bolts on tight as they go by on a conveyor belt with a wrench in both hands. He has to work very fast and rhythmically or else he will miss one. The president of the company is watching the workers up above. Giving orders to each section telling them to work harder or faster. One of his bosses, or one of men that over sees the factory workers, goes up to the Tramp and tells him to speed up. While the boss is talking to Charlie he takes a second to shoo away a fly. During this distraction, he messes up the entire assembly line. He has developed terrible tick of moving his arms in a jerking fashion. Time for rest will not be tolerated as shown Grace LaFrossia in the scene with... ... middle of paper ... ...tightening people’s noses. The men try to tell him that hurts but The Tramp is blissfully unaware and simply crazy now. He chases after a woman trying to tighten her buttons. Once he is in the control room he starts switching on and off switches. This creates ciaos in the factory and machines start breaking down, catching on fire, and smoking. He is then whisked away to psychiatric hospital and treated. Falling into the machinery does show how dangerous factory’s workers lives were physically, but the effects he experiences after the machinery shows what the factory line did a person’s psyche. The Tramp believed he was part of the machine and couldn’t stop screwing. His brain was brainwashed into believing he was just a machine and nothing more. That is how so many of the factory employees were treated, because they are working for supply and demand.

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