The Circus (1928)
Grade: 70
"The Circus" is a silent film that was produced, directed, and written by Charlie Chaplin. He again is playing the familiar tramp character, who in his struggle to get along in the world keeps getting in and out of trouble.
The tramp gets mixed up with a pickpocket. He is chased by a policeman into a circus, and his attempts to avoid arrest delight the audience, who take him for a clown. Soon, the tramp is a featured attraction. Chaplin falls for the young daughter of the abusive circus manager, but she only sees him as a friend.
"The Circus" may be the most Keaton-esque of Chaplin's features. The plot is simple, and serves mostly as a background for lots and lots of slapstick gags. The miracle is that all of the gags work and are funny. What is missing from this film, and is usually present in Chaplin films, is social commentary. This time around, Chaplin is only trying to make us laugh, and he certainly succeeds.
What is the funniest scene in "The Circus"? My favorite has Chaplin walking a tightrope, with monkeys crawling over his face in body, biting his nose and pulling his pants down. It's a screech! Honorable mention goes to a scene where the jealous tramp fantasizes about giving the rival for his love interest a kick in the rear.
http://www.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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