Honestly, I don't get it. A lot of violent slapstick humor. Chaplin's character is a mean drunk. What's funny about that? I don't think we can even ascribe it to the times. Oh, surely, some of it, our simple, uneducated ancestors. Yeah. But if we saw this kind of film come out of, say, China today, we'd be worried that a sadistic bunch of lunatics was on the rise. Were the good ol' days more cruel? I don't get it. I have a theory that there just simply wasn't much film entertainment being done, so a guy like this can move into the Classic status more easily. Whoever gets to the gold rush first gets the biggest haul. In this case, fame.
Sure, some of the physical comedy is actually very deft, but I don't see how people hurting each other is very funny. I suppose there is still some of that today, low brow stuff, in some rude sitcoms. But isn't Chaplin a darling of the high brows? The Three Stooges look like they're having tea with the Queen compared to this piece.
Sure, some of the physical comedy is actually very deft, but I don't see how people hurting each other is very funny. I suppose there is still some of that today, low brow stuff, in some rude sitcoms. But isn't Chaplin a darling of the high brows? The Three Stooges look like they're having tea with the Queen compared to this piece.