Interpretation of “Modern Times”

By Cynthia Powell

 

 

In the film “Modern Times”, by Charlie Chaplin, there are several scenes that lead a person to believe that Chaplin’s character was naïve and was not aware of his surroundings.  Chaplin’s character is released from a mental institution and is not paying attention and ends up arrested as a communist leader.  Chaplin’s character has more trouble in another scene when he just did what his boss told him to, instead of thinking and did not think about the consequences of his actions.  Later in the film Chaplin’s character is fired for drinking on the job.  This film portrays the problems one might have in their society, if their only interest is personal satisfaction instead of what is happening in their society.

 

Chaplin’s character has just been released from a mental institution and an intertitle instructs him to “Take it easy and avoid excitement”.  A scene shows Chaplin’s character casually walking down the street, as a lumber truck comes up the road with a anticipatory shot of a red flag laying on a piece of lumber protruding from the rear of the truck.  The flag is assumed red and falls to the street as anticipated.  Chaplin’s character picks up the flag and starts waving it to alert the driver of his loss.  Not paying attention to what is happening around him, Chaplin’s character has managed to join a communist protest that marches around the street corner behind him.  The scene now shows Chaplin’s character in front of the communist marchers waving a red flag.  The police come running up and there is a reaction shot of the police assuming Chaplin’s character is the leader of the communist protest.  An intertitle states “So you are the leader!!!”. The police arrest Chaplin’s character and an intertitle states “Held as a communist our innocent victim languishes in jail”.  It seems if Chaplin’s character would have been less worried about his problems and more aware of his surroundings he might have avoided the protest, and furthermore, avoided being arrested.

 

 

Another scene that portrays Chaplin’s character as being unaware in his surroundings is when he has just been released from jail. Chaplin’s character looks for a job and gets hired at the shipyards.  He still seems confused.  The boss comes over to him and an intertitle explains, “Find a wedge like this”.  Chaplin’s character goes to find a wedge and picks up a few different pieces of wood and seems to be having trouble finding a wedge.  Chaplin’s character goes over to a large ship frame on blocks that are being repaired. He notices a piece of wood under the ship’s frame that is a wedge. He tries to remove it, but the ship’s weight has it pinned.  Chaplin’s character scratches his head and looks around.  A reaction shot shows him and his delight in finding a sledgehammer.  The next scene is Chaplin’s character hitting the wedge that is under the ship frame with the sledgehammer to free it up.  After Chaplin’s character removes the wedge he held it up to show his accomplishment.  Then he realized he had caused the ship to go sailing into the water.  A reaction shot shows him quite surprised that he caused this accident.  A three shot shows his boss and co-workers watching him.  Next is a reaction shot that shows how surprised they were at his stupidity.  The scene that follows is that of Chaplin’s character putting on his jacket to leave his short lived employment.  Chaplin’s character could have avoided the accident with the ship, and the loss of his job, if he had stopped to figure out that the wedge was supporting the ship.

 

 

A third portrayal of Chaplin’s character’s naivety is in the latter part of the film.  After Chaplin’s character has made friends with an orphan girl he shows again his lack of observing his surroundings.  The scene is the two of them looking over a crowd at a building. The intertitle states “An accident occurred in a department store”.  A two-shot shows Chaplin’s character and the girl talking to another observer.  The intertitle states  “The night watchman broke his leg”.  Chaplin’s character and the girl in a two-shot shake their heads in agreement, and he runs into the store.  A three-shot shows Chaplin’s character talking to two men and the intertitle states “Give him the job and show him his duties”.  As soon as the boss leaves Chaplin’s character lets his girlfriend in and the scenes are the two of them having a good time playing in the store. Chaplin’s character skates off to do his job after he has made his girlfriend comfortable.  An anticipatory shot shows Chaplin’s character happening upon three men in the store with guns.  The scenes show the three men shooting their guns and starting to tie Chaplin’s character up.  The men shoot a hole in a keg of booze and Chaplin’s character inadvertently drinks from the keg.  In a reaction shot one of the men recognizes Chaplin’s character from the factory he used to work at and an intertitle states “We ain’t burglars we’re hungry”.  A four-shot shows Chaplin’s character and the three men drinking the booze from the keg and getting drunk. Intertitles and a shot of a running clock inform you that it is the next morning.  A re-establishing shot shows the department store.  The next scene is a woman looking at fabric in the department store.  A salesclerk comes over to help the women with the fabric.   There is then a reaction shot of the two women finding Chaplin’s character in the fabric.  Chaplin’s character passes out in the fabric because of all the booze he had consumed with the three men. The scenes shows the man that hired Chaplin’s character running up, it cuts to an outside shot of a policeman holding Chaplin’s character with an anticipatory shot of a paddy wagon approaching.  Chaplin’s character is thrown in the paddy wagon.  Due to his lack of responsibility he has lost another job and is back in jail.

Chaplin’s character seems to be so consumed with his own problems and personal satisfaction that it out weights his and his ability to use his common sense.  Society portrayed in the film “Modern Times” and our society seem to be set up the same. We are so busy with everyday challenges and problems that we can’t see what is happening in our world.  The tragedy of September 11, 2001 is an example of this problem in our society.  Most Americans including myself are naïve to the fact that we have enemies, and they do want to harm innocent people to prove a point.  Americans are so busy with the everyday hustle and bustle that they don’t take the time to think. We just get so busy taking care of our families and paying our taxes like good citizens are supposed to do.  We don’t have time for anything else.

 

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