34 - The Gold Rush

    Charlie Chaplin is a prospector who goes to Alaska to stake a claim.  He has a series of adventures dealing with the harsh weather, the dance halls, and a romance with a girl named Georgia.
    This is the version which was re-released in 1942.  The original film was tightened up a bit.  A score was added, and Chaplin recorded a narration for it.  This goes a long way to making the movie palatable for a modern audience.  There's a lot of interpretation that would have been involved otherwise.
    It's an interesting movie.  It's funny, but it has some dark elements to it.  There's a sequence that was intended to lead the audience to think that a dog had been eaten out of hunger, and another scene where two starving guys eat a shoe.  These gags are handled well, but it still gives a very depression-era feeling to things.
    The humor is largely physical, and Chaplin is a lot of fun to watch.  The early state of film direction at the time works against some of his skills - there are some moments where he gives some masterful expressions.  A lot of scenes seem to be handled in longer takes, although some awkward edits are in there.
    His dance using the rolls is remarkable.  It's a silly piece of comedy, but I haven't seen anything like it in modern times.