Title: The Gold Rush
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Starring actors: Charlie Chaplin, Georgia Hale, Mack Swain
Number on the AFI List: 58
Year: 1925
I have to admit, I may have cheated on this one a bit. I watched the narrated version. I know, I know. It's not TRULY the 1925 version. But it was the only version on YouTube that didn't look grainy!
Set in the snowy mountains of Alaska, The Gold Rush follows the story of The Lone Prospector (Charlie Chaplin) in his quest to find gold. Along the way, he falls in love with a dancer named Georgia and many iconic moments take place with him trying to win her love, including this moment where he accidentally ties his pants to a dog leash:
And of course, the famous Oceana Roll Dance:
I have to say, I didn't quite know where this movie was going until the Lone Prospector made it to the Alaskan town. Even though there were many iconic moments in the first act (cooking and eating his shoe for thanksgiving, Big Jim imagining the Lone Prospector as a chicken, a bear wandering into the cabin), the movie really took off in the second act with the introduction of the love interest, Georgia. The Lone Prospector's boyish and awkward attempts to woo her stole the show for me, and the mishaps and "murphy's law-esque" mistakes leading to the happy ending had me laughing and yelling at the screen.
Chaplin has said that this is the movie he wants to be remembered for. While I can't compare it to any of his other films thus far, I know this is a movie I will never forget.
Favorite scene: The dance sequence in the dance hall.
Least favorite scene: The eating of the shoe. Iconic, yes, but also repulsive.
Will I watch it again: Definitely.
For your viewing pleasure:
For your viewing pleasure:
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