"Yes, I can see now."
---Blind Girl
City Lights is one of Charlie Chaplin's greatest film achievements, which is saying a lot because all of his films are wonderful. This one is recognized as being one of his best as a result of his careful planning and attention to the build up of the romance in the story, not just his trademark comedy. City Lights is about Chaplin's famous character The Tramp falling in love with a blind girl who sells flowers. The Tramp feels for her malady and relates to her poverty so he sets out to earn money for her to get a surgery that will restore her sight. The heart-breaking part of the story comes when he gives her the money and then disappears from her life for fear that she will not accept the fact that he is a poor and silly-looking little man. The infamous yet ambiguous final scene of the movie leaves the audience still questioning the status of The Tramp and the Blind Girl's romantic friendship.
The Little Tramp undoubtedly loves and unconditionally cares for the Blind Girl (Virginia Cherrill), and the audience is constantly cheering for his efforts on her behalf. From picking up the excrement of horses and elephants, to entering an amateur boxing match, The Tramp tries everything he can to raise money for the girl's surgery. What is especially heart-warming about his actions is that he obviously does not have a normal job and just does what little he has to do to get by, including befriending a drunk, eccentric millionaire (Harry Myers). So for him to actually seek a job is indicative of his sympathetic character.
The dedication that The Tramp has for the poor girl is also what makes the climax so sad: he has done everything for her but he must hide himself so she will not see the real person he is. It is sad that he feels so inadequate that he will not even let her thank him in person for restoring her sight. City Lights has one of the best endings ever in the romantic-comedy genre. Their ultimate meeting at the end is built up in such a fantastic way that the audience actually feels nervous for him because we really are not sure what her reaction will be when she finally sees him. And the unresolved ending leaves us thinking about what would happen next in our own versions of the story. Charlie Chaplin did amazing things in the silent era of movie-making, and City Lights is just one example of how he magnificently made perfect blends of drama, emotion, and comedy.
FUN FACT: Charlie Chaplin shot the scene where The Tramp first meets the Blind Girl over 300 times! He had trouble figuring out how to make the blind flower seller mistake The Tramp for a wealthy man.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "Tomorrow the birds will sing."
---The Tramp, City Lights
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