City Lights (1931)

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

7 March 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Tramp | Blind | Operation | Love | Little Tramp

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Virginia Cherrill	...	A Blind Girl
Florence Lee	...	Her Grandmother
Harry Myers	...	An Eccentric Millionaire
Al Ernest Garcia	...	His Butler (as Allan Garcia)
Hank Mann	...	A Prizefighter
Charles Chaplin	...	A Tramp (as Charlie Chaplin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Alexander	...	Extra in Boxing Scene (uncredited)
T.S. Alexander	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Victor Alexander	...	Superstitious Boxer (uncredited)
Albert Austin	...	Street Sweeper / Burglar (uncredited)
Harry Ayers	...	Cop (uncredited)
Eddie Baker	...	Boxing Fight Referee (uncredited)
Henry Bergman	...	Mayor / Blind Girl's Downstairs Neighbor (uncredited)
Betty Blair	...	Woman at Center of Table in Restaurant (uncredited)
Buster Brodie	...	Bald Party Guest (uncredited)
Jeanne Carpenter	...	Extra in Restaurant Scene (uncredited)
Marie Cooper	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Tom Dempsey	...	Boxer (uncredited)
Peter Diego	...	Man in Mix-Up with Coat and Hat (uncredited)
James Donnelly	...	Steet Sweepers' Foreman (uncredited)
Ray Erlenborn	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Mrs. Garcia	...	Woman at Left of Table in Restaurant (uncredited)
Milton Gowman	...	Extra in Street Scene (uncredited)
Robert Graves	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Charles Hammond	...	Extra in Street Scene (uncredited)
Jean Harlow	...	Extra in Restaurant Scene (uncredited)
Ad Herman	...	Extra in Boxing Scene (uncredited)
Joseph Herrick	...	Extra in Boxing Scene (uncredited)
Mrs. Hyams	...	Flower Shop Assistant (uncredited)
Austen Jewell	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Willie Keeler	...	Boxer (uncredited)
A.B. Lane	...	Extra in Boxing Scene (uncredited)
Eddie McAuliffe	...	Eddie Mason - Boxer (uncredited)
Margaret Oliver	...	Extra in Street Scene (uncredited)
Robert Parrish	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Mrs. Pope	...	Extra in Restaurant Scene (uncredited)
John Rand	...	Tramp Who Dives for Cigar (uncredited)
Granville Redmond	...	Sculptor (uncredited)
W.C. Robinson	...	Man Who Throws Away Cigar (uncredited)
Cy Slocum	...	Extra in Boxing Scene (uncredited)
Tony Stabenau	...	Victorious Boxer - Later Knocked Out (uncredited)
Mark Strong	...	Man in Restaurant (uncredited)
Jack Sutherland	...	Tall Man at Party (uncredited)
Joe Van Meter	...	Burglar (uncredited)
Emmett Wagner	...	Second (uncredited)
Tiny Ward	...	Man in Elevator in Front of the Art Shop (uncredited)
Stanhope Wheatcroft	...	Distinguished Gentleman in Cafe (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Woman Who Sits on Cigar (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Chaplin

Writing credits
Charles Chaplin		(written by)
Harry Clive		uncredited
Harry Crocker		uncredited

Produced by
Charles Chaplin	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Charles Chaplin		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Gordon Pollock		(photographer)
Roland Totheroh		(photographer) (as Rollie Totheroh)

Film Editing by
Charles Chaplin		(uncredited)
Willard Nico		(uncredited)

Casting by
Al Ernest Garcia		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Charles D. Hall		(settings)

Production Management
Alfred Reeves	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Austin	....	assistant director
Henry Bergman	....	assistant director
Harry Crocker	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Theodore Reed	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph Barton	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Mark Marlatt	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank Testera	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Peter Culverwell	....	assistant editor (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
Tim Grover	....	assistant editor (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)

Music Department
Carl Davis	....	musical direction by (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
Robert Hathaway	....	music editor (1988 recording of Chaplin's score) (as Bob Hathaway)
John Hayward	....	music dubbing mixer (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
Arthur Johnston	....	musical arrangements by
Dick Lewzey	....	music recording (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
José Padilla	....	composer: additional music
Paul Wing	....	orchestral contractor (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)

Transportation Department
Toraichi Kono	....	driver: Mr. Chaplin (uncredited)

Other crew
Kevin Brownlow	....	supervised by (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
David Gill	....	supervised by (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
Harry Crocker	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Carlyle Robinson	....	press representative (uncredited)
Della Steele	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charles Chaplin Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1931) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nova Film (1931) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1931) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United Artists Corporation (1931) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1931) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1931) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1950) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Parafrance Films (1972) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CBS / Fox Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Key Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Creative Design (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MK2 Diffusion (2006) (worldwide) (all media) (non-theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Movies Unlimited (2006) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2010) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Lansdowne Studios  recorded at (as C.T.S. Studios, London) (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)
• Pinewood Studios  re-recording at (1988 recording of Chaplin's score)

Also Known As:

"City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime" - USA (copyright title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent | Mono (musical score)

Certification:

France:U | Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | Spain:T | West Germany:12 (1951) | Germany:6 (re-rating: 1997) | USA:G (1972) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | South Korea:All | Netherlands:14 (re-rating) (1954) | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1931) | Netherlands:AL (re-rating) (1931) | Netherlands:AL (re-rating) (1954) (slightly cut) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Denmark:A (2003) | Norway:7 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Charles Chaplin Productions

Trivia:

At one point, Virginia Cherrill came back to the set late from an appointment, keeping Charles Chaplin waiting. Chaplin, whose relationship with Cherrill was not friendly, fired her on the spot. He intended to reshoot the film with Georgia Hale, his heroine from The Gold Rush (1925), playing the flower girl; he even reshot the final scene between the tramp and the flower girl with Hale in the role. However, Chaplin had already spent far too much time and money on the project to start over. Knowing this, Cherrill offered to come back to work - at double her original salary. Chaplin reluctantly agreed and the film was completed. (Source: Virginia Cherrill interview, "Unknown Chaplin" (1983))

Goofs:

Continuity: When handcuffed to go to jail, the Tramp's left hand is cuffed, but when arriving at the jail, it is his right hand that is cuffed.

Quotes:

The Tramp:Be careful how you're driving.
Eccentric Millionaire:Am I driving?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "See Hear: Episode #31.35" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Tomorrow the Sun Will Shine

Chaplin's Classic of Humor and Humanity

Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights" contains a blend of humor and humanity that make it memorable for everyone who watches it. Although made very much in the old-fashioned silent film tradition, much of it is timeless, too.

After a few minutes of slapstick at the beginning, Charlie's "little tramp" character makes two acquaintances. He meets a blind girl selling flowers, who mistakes him for a rich man, and the two become very fond of each other. Then he meets a real millionaire, who is drunk, depressed, and about to commit suicide. In a comic scene, the tramp persuades the millionaire not to go through with it, making himself a devoted friend.

The tramp soon learns that there is an operation that could give the girl her sight, and tries to think of some way he could help. His scenes with the girl and her grandmother are moving, while his determination to help lead him into some comic escapades - his attempt to win money in a boxing match being particularly funny, and one of Chaplin's best comic pieces. Meanwhile, when his millionaire friend is drunk, he dotes on the tramp, but when sober he forgets who the tramp is, leading to more amusing scenes and occasional trouble for Charlie.

All of the comedy leads up to a finale that is one of the best-remembered scenes in any film. "City Lights" shows the power of the camera in the hands of a master, who without words can move his audience or make them laugh. Anyone who appreciates good cinema should see it at least once.