Today, many people do not watch older movies because of the relatively poor cinematography and writing, but those people are definitely missing out. The greatest movies, and the ones with the most historical significance, were not all made recently. In the world database of movies there are many different movies and genres to explore.
Charlie Chaplin’s work is a great example of a must-see movie that isn’t viewed enough. Many people do not even consider watching Chaplin’s films since most of them are silent, but his works are among those that have changed the film industry forever. He started off as an actor and was one of the first people to actually begin directing, writing and starring in his own movies. He created a character that was recognized by people across the world. He was one of the first people to compose his own films and created great and memorable movies from all genres. The movies that draw me the most from him are Modern Times and The Great Dictator, both of which are in the top 100 of IMDB’s Top 250 charts.
Modern Times, one of Chaplin’s films that he wrote, directed and starred in is a silent film based on a man during the Great Depression who is constantly searching for a job due to his constant mistakes. Chaplin got the idea after meeting Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi told Chaplin that he didn’t like the idea of companies working for profit. Though the movie does explore some liberal ideas, it is still a must-watch as it reflects life during the Great Depression and the change in political views against capitalism and big business.
The movie with the most historical significance than any other, in my opinion, is The Great Dictator. The Great Dictator was also created by Chaplin. The plot is based on a Jewish barber, played by Chaplin, that is from a fictional country called Tomainia. The country is ruled by a dictator named Adenoid Hynkel, who is also portrayed by Chaplin. The barber and the townspeople are constantly terrorized by Hynkel’s storm troopers. This 1940 movie was considered one of the first satire films against Nazism. The movie helped influence the change in thought of people throughout the world even though it was banned in all of the Nazi occupied nations.
Both movies also teach a lot about industrial culture and give more insight into what life was like. Unlike movies that try to reflect on older cultures, these movies were actually made then, so the satire, speech, and attempt at enlightenment are true to the time period. The works of Charlie Chaplin are a great asset to anyone who has seen them.
Abdalah El-Barrad is a freshman studying economics and a columnist for The Post. What is your favorite Chaplin film? Email him at
ae738513@ohiou.edu.
