Speaking of black and white

If only one of Charles Chaplin's films could be preserved, "City Lights'' (1931) would come the closest to representing all the different notes of his genius. It contains the slapstick, the pathos, the pantomime, the effortless physical coordination, the melodrama, the bawdiness, the grace, and, of course, the Little Tramp--the character said, at one time, to be the most famous image on earth.

Roger Ebert

Allow me to perch upon my ever precarious soapbox por uno momento, in order to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart.

Times critic A.O. Scott just yesterday posted a video review of Charlie Chaplin's immortal classic 'City Lights'. If you have not seen this movie, I implore you not to watch the review. For some inexplicable reason he shows the entire last minute of the movie in it. Do not do yourself this disservice.

For those of you who are thinking "Charlie Chaplin?" and have now gone back to looking at your spreadsheets, please, I beg you, return.

'City Lights' is probably right up there with my favourite all time movies, and in a sea of three hour comic book spectaculars, Chaplin's greatest artistic achievement is 80 pure minutes of cinematic perfection.

No talking. No colour. No fancy effects or complicated plot.

Man falls in love. Man goes on adventures. Man woos girl. Hilarity ensues throughout.

Could there be a more distilled form of on-screen entertainment?

I mention this movie only because I dug it up from the bottom of a drawer a few days ago, and it is by sheer coincidence that I noticed the feature on the Times front page tonight. So I feel like spreading the silent film gospel a bit.

In regards to the Times, it's not that there is any special surprise ending. It's just that the final scenes of 'City Lights' are such a perfect, indelible memory in the context of a fantastic film, and watching it out of that context is like playing a single note in order to express the greatness of an entire symphony.

Anyways, if you haven't already done so, go watch 'City Lights'. Great things always deserve to be shared.