The Gold Rush (1925)

Plot: The film revolves around The Lone Prospector, who searches for fame and fortune during the Klondike Gold Rush. He is often a victim of practical jokes from the people in one of the booms towns, including a woman he has feelings for named Georgia. But when a man he befriended during a snow storm finds gold but loses his memory as to where it is, the two go on a journey to find the mine again and become rich.

This was funny but - in regards to watching it in a history of film class, an interesting film to watch. I say that, because my professor taught us how in several of Chaplin's films, including this one, his character always starts off as the lowest of class men in expression to how he himself lived an extremely poor life growing up in an orphanage. But, it doesn't stop with any of the characters Chaplin plays. He also shows how hard other people's lives can be in whatever setting his film takes place in. In the case of this film, it's set in a lonely poor village, and there's a very special scene where it's new years and all the young adults are celebrating but the older all have stern sad looks on their faces, implying that they are viewing this event as just signifying another year of their lives have been spent, doing the same thing again and again. The Prospector himself was a sad character because of how he's the victim of practical jokes. For example, there's a scene for where he's waiting for Georgia and her friends to come over to his place for dinner. What he doesn't know is that they said they would as a prank, but he continues to wait, while daydreaming about him being adored as a host for if they come. That's some pretty serious stuff that Chaplin comes across to his audience in an otherwise comedic film. And speaking of which, this is a really funny movie. Even if we might have seen some of the slapstick before, it still holds out very well. My classmates and I laughed at just about every joke that the film had. From the prospector's friend thinking he was a chicken, to shoveling people's front door from the snow, to the whole scene of the prospector and his friend with the house on the edge of a cliff, it's a lot of great slapstick that has aged pretty well.

And that's my review for The Gold Rush. It's an interesting mixture of being both funny yet dramatic based on how my teacher has opened my eyes in viewing Chaplin's work in a different light. It's an entertaining silent film that I do recommend.

Rating: 100%