Modern Times

In this time of fast paced technology, increase in population and poverty all over the world, a movie entitled “Modern Times” illustrates how a factory worker strive hard to survive and  struggled to make it through the toughest times of his life. ”Modern Times” implies how poverty is present in 1930’s and of course still very present in our society today. Charlie Chaplin illustrates in the movie the fight of a poor man in his pursuit to happiness. He implies to its viewers how mass production affects the lives of people who work for factories just like what he portrayed in the movie.

Charlie Chaplin was a factory worker, working for a “Big Boss” who demands him to work more and do nothing other than his work. In one scene, he had a nervous breakdown and was cured in a hospital. He left the hospital with only himself being unemployed. Upon leaving the hospital, he saw a red flag and picked it up. Unmindful of the symbol of that flag, he was immediately arrested by the police and was mistakenly accused of being a communist leader.

He then realized that the life in prison is easier than his life outside. In jail, he was assigned in a separate place where he can read a newspaper everyday while outside he didn’t have any except himself. He was immediately released but reality strikes him up and felt the need of going back to the jail. He met a gamin (Paulette Goddard) while intentionally having a ploy for her to get in jail but instead the lady was arrested for stealing bread. And so he did everything he can as to immediately go back to jail and was successful at the second attempt ordering a very large meal that he knew he cannot pay and was arrested by the police. In jail, he met again the gamin and automatically became friends with her.

Coming from same anxieties and frustrations in life they both dream to have a house that they can live together. In there quest to a better life they both caught themselves in a much harsh and challenging life outside. They have been trying to get a job and amidst the trials that they must endure, Charlie Chaplin did very well in portraying his comedic act in such a way that his audience can relate to him. In his most natural act he justifies his role even with less talk and more actions.

Indeed, his craft not just only signifies a life of a factory worker but it also signifies the reality that has had an effect in each society not only in that time but primarily in our present time today.

Mass production is obviously shown in the film and how it pertains to the factory workers. At a time of developed machines and devices, these factory workers are in need to work on a uniformed way as to not waste time for production. It was clearly illustrated in “Modern Times” the industrialized society and the problem of unemployment. In those times of industrialization, Charlie Chaplin indicated the survival of a factory worker in times of modernization.

The mass production that has been shown in the film provides us a wider knowledge and maybe concern in the living world of factory workers, who conquered and eventually improved their lives in their journey through a world of “unemployment, poverty and hunger” (Tim Dirks, 1996-2007). In the factory where the Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) works in tightening bolts for machine parts, his works manifested the mass production that a factory worker should do. Their lives should concentrate on what they are doing as to not waste time and the productivity that they have to accomplish everyday.

As there “Big Boss” always yells at them and says: “Get back to work. Go on”, this showed how important it is for such factories to increase there products everyday.  In most of the cases in the film, mass productivity was clearly shown in the factory where Charlie Chaplin works. There was one scene in the movie where a feeding machine was used as to not consume or waste time for a break and instead of having a break for lunch they used this feeding machine and was literally being fed by it.

Indeed, the film tackled the issues that greatly concerns the people on its time specifically the factory workers. Charlie Chaplin managed to delight the viewers with his comedic act and enables to justify the over-all theme of the film even though it was considered a “silent” movie. Nonetheless, “Modern Times” proved to be one of the best classical movies that showed the very important issues concerning that very time and illustrated the brighter side of life. The film also showed romance between the Tramp and the gamin (Paulette Goddard).

References

Modern Times (2007). The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 16, 2007, from http://www.imdb.com

Modern Times (2007). Review by Tim Durks. Retrieved November 16, 2007, from http://www.filmsite.org/mode.html

Modern Times-Rotten Tomatoes (2007). Modern Times (1936). Retrieved November 16, 2007, from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/modern_times