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IMDbPro

City Lights

  • 1931
  • G
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
189K
YOUR RATING
Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
ComedyDramaRomance

With the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.With the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.With the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.

  • Director
    • Charles Chaplin
  • Writers
    • Charles Chaplin
    • Harry Carr
    • Harry Crocker
  • Stars
    • Charles Chaplin
    • Virginia Cherrill
    • Florence Lee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    8.5/10
    189K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Charles Chaplin
    • Writers
      • Charles Chaplin
      • Harry Carr
      • Harry Crocker
    • Stars
      • Charles Chaplin
      • Virginia Cherrill
      • Florence Lee
    • 358User reviews
    • 133Critic reviews
    • 99Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Top rated movie #53
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 1 nomination

    Photos86

    Charles Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin, Tom Dempsey, Harry Myers, and Victor Alexander in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin and Albert Austin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin, Austen Jewell, and Robert Parrish in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)
    Charles Chaplin in City Lights (1931)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charles Chaplin
    Charles Chaplin
    • A Tramp
    • (as Charlie Chaplin)
    Virginia Cherrill
    Virginia Cherrill
    • A Blind Girl
    Florence Lee
    • The Blind Girl's Grandmother
    Harry Myers
    Harry Myers
    • An Eccentric Millionaire
    Al Ernest Garcia
    Al Ernest Garcia
    • The Millionaire's Butler
    • (as Allan Garcia)
    Hank Mann
    Hank Mann
    • A Prizefighter
    Johnny Aber
    • Newsboy
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Alexander
    • Boxing Match Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    T.S. Alexander
    • Doctor
    • (uncredited)
    Victor Alexander
    • Superstitious Boxer
    • (uncredited)
    Albert Austin
    Albert Austin
    • Street Sweeper
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Harry Ayers
    • Cop
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Baker
    Eddie Baker
    • Boxing Fight Referee
    • (uncredited)
    Henry Bergman
    Henry Bergman
    • Mayor
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Edward Biby
    Edward Biby
    • Nightclub Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Betty Blair
    • Woman at Center of Table in Restaurant
    • (uncredited)
    Buster Brodie
    Buster Brodie
    • Bald Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Jeanne Carpenter
    • Diner in Restaurant
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Charles Chaplin
    • Writers
      • Charles Chaplin
      • Harry Carr(uncredited)
      • Harry Crocker(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Charles Chaplin invited Albert Einstein and his wife Elsa to join him at the Los Angeles premier on January 30, 1931. When the house lights came up, Chaplin was surprised to see Einstein's eyes tearing at the final scene. Chaplin said in his autobiography that he had not known Einstein to be so "sentimental."
    • Goofs
      (at around 39 mins) When the Tramp accidentally swallows the whistle, his real eyebrows are visible beneath his fake ones. This was done intentionally to give him a lopsided, intoxicated facial expression.
    • Quotes

      The Tramp: You can see now?

      A Blind Girl: Yes, I can see now.

    • Alternate versions
      About seven minutes of footage of Georgia Hale playing the flower girl exists and is included in the 2003 DVD release. The footage was shot during a brief period when the actress originally cast to play the character had been fired and replaced with Hale, but Charles Chaplin was forced to resume filming with the original actress due to the amount of film already shot.
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Fatale beauté (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Flower Girl Theme
      (uncredited)
      Music by José Padilla

    User reviews358

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    A one-man virtuoso performance
    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
    helpful•76
    15
    • Nazi_Fighter_David
    • Apr 19, 2008

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    FAQ3

    • Is 'city Lights' based on a book?
    • Why is it called "City Lights"?
    • What titles feature wacky boxing?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 7, 1931 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Instagram
      • Official Site
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime
    • Filming locations
      • Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Charles Chaplin Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $19,181
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,102
      • Jul 8, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $50,419
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.19:1
      • 1.20 : 1

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