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City Lights (1931)

 -  Comedy | Drama | Romance  -  7 March 1931 (USA)
8.6
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Ratings: 8.6/10 from 56,380 users  
Reviews: 177 user | 89 critic

The Tramp struggles to help a blind flower girl he has fallen in love with.

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Title: City Lights (1931)

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Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Virginia Cherrill ...
Florence Lee ...
Her Grandmother
Harry Myers ...
An Eccentric Millionaire
Al Ernest Garcia ...
His Butler (as Allan Garcia)
Hank Mann ...
A Prizefighter
...
A Tramp (as Charlie Chaplin)
Full cast and crew »
Edit

Storyline

A tramp falls in love with a beautiful blind girl. Her family is in financial trouble. The tramp's on-and-off friendship with a wealthy man allows him to be the girl's benefactor and suitor. Written by John J. Magee <magee@helix.mgh.harvard.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

tramp | operation | flower | little tramp | love | See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Certificate:

G | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

7 March 1931 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| (musical score)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

When the film opened on 31 January 1931, Albert Einstein joined Charles Chaplin at the theater. When the film opened in England, George Bernard Shaw joined him. See more »

Goofs

When the Tramp takes the girl home, the birdcage outside the window is gone, but later reappears. See more »

Quotes

The Tramp: Tomorrow the birds will sing.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Henri Langlois: The Phantom of the Cinémathèque (2004) See more »

Soundtracks

"The Star Spangled Banner"
(uncredited)
Music by John Stafford Smith
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Q: What titles feature wacky boxing?
Q: Why is it called "City Lights"?
See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A one-man virtuoso performance …
19 April 2008 | by (Mexico) – See all my reviews

Once again Chaplin plays his famous creation, the beloved Tramp… The noble Little Fellow meets and falls in love with a blind flower girl… She assumes he is wealthy man and offers him a flower, which he attentively accepts with his last penny…

One night by chance he rescues a drunken millionaire from drowning… The rich gentleman becomes a generous friend when drunk but doesn't recognize the tramp when sober… Chaplin takes the blind girl under his wing, and takes flight with the millionaire's money to cure her blindness…

"City Lights" engaged a true genius in a graceful and touching performance which arouses profound feelings and joy with great simplicity of style and tragic tale… Each scene was the result of hard-working detail and planning…
48 of 58 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?
Review this title | See all 177 user reviews »

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