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OK so in essence this movie perhaps is like the just as brilliant French comedy "À nous la liberté" but "Modern Times" is a real classic on its own right. To be honest I think that some Chaplin movies and other classic comedies in general are a bit overrated but "Modern Times" always had been a movie which I enjoyed watching.
"Modern Times" is Charlie Chaplin's protest about the fast growing modern industrial society (seems a like a pretty silly to protest against now days of course). It makes fun of industrialism, with as a result some highly amusing and innovative sequences, when things start to go wrong in the factory, when the tramp starts to loose his mind. This spoof and protest however got him in trouble though, since the American government was not amused by it and labeled him as a communist from that moment on. After that Chaplin left to live for the rest of his love in Switzerland and he never returned to America.
Although the movie does feature sound in it, the movie is still shot as a silent movie and also features hardly any dialog in it. It makes this movie of course quite unique and I actually wonder if the movie would had been better if it did feature full sound and more dialog in it. I really don't think so though. Charles Chaplin of course always had been a king of slapstick and silent comedy.
Chaplin is in good form in this movie. He shows off his silly antics as his famous tramp character, although in this movie his character is simply listed as 'A factory worker'. His timing and execution is fine as always and provides the movie with moments that will make you laugh, guaranteed. Also Paulette Goddard is fine and looking lovely in this movie. She married Chaplin the same year but then again which co-star didn't Chaplin had a fling with throughout his life.
Like so often he also directed and wrote the movie. With this he shows that he not just had a talent for comedy acting but also really for comical writing and directing. For a silent slapstick movie the movie simply features a good and likable story. Also the directing is done with lots of pace and sense for timing.
It also has some great looking sets, for factory sequences of course most obviously.
A great Chaplin classic!
9/10
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