The Gold Rush (1925)

A prospector goes to the Klondike in search of gold and finds it and more.

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin

Stars:

Charles Chaplin, Mack Swain, Tom Murray

Top Rated Movies #139 | Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Chaplin	...	The Lone Prospector
Mack Swain	...	Big Jim McKay
Tom Murray	...	Black Larsen
Henry Bergman	...	Hank Curtis
Malcolm Waite	...	Jack Cameron
Georgia Hale	...	Georgia

Storyline

A lone prospector ventures into Alaska looking for gold. He gets mixed up with some burly characters and falls in love with the beautiful Georgia. He tries to win her heart with his singular charm.

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Plot Keywords:

gold | klondike | klondike gold rush | national film registry | little tramp | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1925 (Germany)

Also Known As:

La quimera del oro

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$923,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,450,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charles Chaplin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min (original) 72 min (1942 re-release) 81 min (edited) 88 min (1925 reconstructed)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System) (1942 re-issue) Silent (original release)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Location filming proved too problematic so Charles Chaplin shot the entire film on the backlot and stages of his Hollywood studio, including an elaborate reconstruction of the Klondike. His leisurely approach to film-making - and multiple takes - did not suit the demands of location filming. One of the problems was that the crew could not make the cabin look like it was being moved by the wind convincingly on location. Eventually, Chaplin's cinematographer, Roland Totheroh convinced him that it would be more practical to shoot the sequence with miniature models with his firm assurances that it could be photographed convincingly.

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Goofs

When Georgia enters the lone prospector's cabin after not showing up for New Year's Eve dinner, she is accompanied by Jack "the ladies man". At first Jack is holding a pistol in his right hand. When the scene cuts away from him and then back, the gun is suddenly gone.

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Quotes

Georgia: You see, I'm very particular who I dance with.

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Alternate Versions

Silent versions runs 82 minutes at today's current projection speeds, but silent versions during the 1925 projection rate would have run closer to 96-100 minutes. The 1942 reissue took out a few scenes as well as all the subtitles, and at sound speed runs 72 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in The Man in the High Castle: History Ends (2018)

User Reviews

One of the best movies ever made

One of the best Chaplin movies, which means one of the best movies ever made. Good structure and a lot of excellent classic scenes such as `Eating the shoe' and `The Roll Dance'. Both the original version and the second release have their own charm.