_City Lights_--What's Wrong with This Summary?

(Phil P) writes:
> On 26 Mar 2004 21:17:19 GMT, do481 DeleteThis @FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Constance Kuriyama)
> wrote:
>
>>I've always admired the deceptively simple plot of _City Lights_,
>>which is harder to summarize than one might think. Lately I've
>>noticed that even acknowledged experts on Chaplin get the details
>>wrong.
>>
>>For example:
>>
>>"The Tramp learns that the girl's sight can be cured if she goes
>>to Vienna for an operation. He tries various methods--as street
>>cleaner and prize fighter--to earn money for her trip . . . ."
>>
>>I withhold the name of the author out of charity--but in fairness
>>to him, other people frequently make the same mistakes.
>>
>>What actually happens in the film?
>>
>>Connie K.
>
> CC gets the job because Virginia is sick and later can't pay the rent (and to
> keep up the illusion that he's rich). He takes the boxing match because he's
> fired from his sanitation job for being late. There's no way he could pay for
> the operation without the Millionaire's help.

Yes, he tells her about the operation as something that might be hoped for,
but he gets the job because she's sick--and, because the Millionaire is in
Europe (I hadn't thought of that.), so he has to find some other means of
helpling her and preserving the illusion that he's rich. And *then* he finds
out about the unpaid rent, which he obviously doesn't have the moeny to pay
for in hand.

I've been wondering lately if he isn't fired on payday. He needs (and expects
to get) the money by the next day, but employers in Chaplin's films aren't
big on severance pay, so when he's fired he doesn't get paid, which he was
counting on to cover the $22 rent.

The prize for winning the boxing match is $50; split two ways it would just
cover the rent, and buy a little food until Charlie can get another job. There's
an undercurrent of desperation running through that whole sequence. Even when
it looks like he might be killed, he attempts the fight because it's his only
chance.

This explains his ecstatic reaction when the Millionaire offers him $1,000.
He hasn't even dreamed of such a windfall. As you say, there's no way he could
earn it, certainly not by scooping poop.

The summary I quoted bothers me because it ignores the harsh realities that
Chaplin recognized through these details. The Blind Girl and the Tramp
live in a world where $50 is worth risking one's life for, and $1,000 is
a prize that has to be bought by spending months in jail.

The summary sentimentalizes and romanticizes the Tramp by ignoring these grim
facts. It occurs to me that at least some of the sentimentality Chaplin is
taxed for originates not with him, but with people who don't recognize the
subtlety of his plots, which are all the more amazing considering his
method of creating them.

If "method" is the right word. :-) Robinson does an excellent job of
documenting the process.

Connie K.







--
"Our century is inconceivable without its . . . inconclusive mob of isms."
 >> Stay informed about: _City Lights_--What's Wrong with This Summary? 

On 29 Mar 2004 00:37:52 GMT, do481.DeleteThis@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Constance Kuriyama)
wrote:

> (Phil P) writes:
>> On 26 Mar 2004 21:17:19 GMT, do481.DeleteThis@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Constance Kuriyama)
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I've always admired the deceptively simple plot of _City Lights_,
>>>which is harder to summarize than one might think. Lately I've
>>>noticed that even acknowledged experts on Chaplin get the details
>>>wrong.
>>>
>>>For example:
>>>
>>>"The Tramp learns that the girl's sight can be cured if she goes
>>>to Vienna for an operation. He tries various methods--as street
>>>cleaner and prize fighter--to earn money for her trip . . . ."
>>>
>>>I withhold the name of the author out of charity--but in fairness
>>>to him, other people frequently make the same mistakes.
>>>
>>>What actually happens in the film?
>>>
>>>Connie K.
>>
>> CC gets the job because Virginia is sick and later can't pay the rent (and to
>> keep up the illusion that he's rich). He takes the boxing match because he's
>> fired from his sanitation job for being late. There's no way he could pay for
>> the operation without the Millionaire's help.
>
>Yes, he tells her about the operation as something that might be hoped for,
>but he gets the job because she's sick--and, because the Millionaire is in
>Europe (I hadn't thought of that.),

I'm not sure that Charlie ever knows that the Millionaire is in Europe - WE
know, but does he? He does know that he can't count on Myers to even remember
him, much less give him money for the girl. Getting money to buy the flowers
earlier in the film was coincidence - Virginia passed by when Charlie was
sitting on the Millionaire's stoop.


so he has to find some other means of
>helpling her and preserving the illusion that he's rich. And *then* he finds
>out about the unpaid rent, which he obviously doesn't have the moeny to pay
>for in hand.
>
>I've been wondering lately if he isn't fired on payday. He needs (and expects
>to get) the money by the next day, but employers in Chaplin's films aren't
>big on severance pay, so when he's fired he doesn't get paid, which he was
>counting on to cover the $22 rent.

Possibly the day after payday. He has just come from delivering groceries to
Virginia and telling her about the operation AND finding out about the overdue
rent. He had money earlier that day to buy groceries with.

>The prize for winning the boxing match is $50; split two ways it would just
>cover the rent, and buy a little food until Charlie can get another job. There's
>an undercurrent of desperation running through that whole sequence. Even when
>it looks like he might be killed, he attempts the fight because it's his only
>chance.
>
>This explains his ecstatic reaction when the Millionaire offers him $1,000.
>He hasn't even dreamed of such a windfall. As you say, there's no way he could
>earn it, certainly not by scooping poop.
>
>The summary I quoted bothers me because it ignores the harsh realities that
>Chaplin recognized through these details. The Blind Girl and the Tramp
>live in a world where $50 is worth risking one's life for, and $1,000 is
>a prize that has to be bought by spending months in jail.
>
>The summary sentimentalizes and romanticizes the Tramp by ignoring these grim
>facts. It occurs to me that at least some of the sentimentality Chaplin is
>taxed for originates not with him, but with people who don't recognize the
>subtlety of his plots, which are all the more amazing considering his
>method of creating them.
>
>If "method" is the right word. :-) Robinson does an excellent job of
>documenting the process.
>
>Connie K.

Trial and error is a method, isn't it?
 >> Stay informed about: _City Lights_--What's Wrong with This Summary? 

(Phil P) writes:
> On 29 Mar 2004 00:37:52 GMT, do481 RemoveThis @FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Constance Kuriyama)
> wrote:
>
>> (Phil P) writes:
>>> On 26 Mar 2004 21:17:19 GMT, do481 RemoveThis @FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Constance Kuriyama)
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I've always admired the deceptively simple plot of _City Lights_,
>>>>which is harder to summarize than one might think. Lately I've
>>>>noticed that even acknowledged experts on Chaplin get the details
>>>>wrong.
>>>>
>>>>For example:
>>>>
>>>>"The Tramp learns that the girl's sight can be cured if she goes
>>>>to Vienna for an operation. He tries various methods--as street
>>>>cleaner and prize fighter--to earn money for her trip . . . ."
>>>>
>>>>I withhold the name of the author out of charity--but in fairness
>>>>to him, other people frequently make the same mistakes.
>>>>
>>>>What actually happens in the film?
>>>>
>>>>Connie K.
>>>
>>> CC gets the job because Virginia is sick and later can't pay the rent (and to
>>> keep up the illusion that he's rich). He takes the boxing match because he's
>>> fired from his sanitation job for being late. There's no way he could pay for
>>> the operation without the Millionaire's help.
>>
>>Yes, he tells her about the operation as something that might be hoped for,
>>but he gets the job because she's sick--and, because the Millionaire is in
>>Europe (I hadn't thought of that.),
>
> I'm not sure that Charlie ever knows that the Millionaire is in Europe - WE
> know, but does he? He does know that he can't count on Myers to even remember
> him, much less give him money for the girl. Getting money to buy the flowers
> earlier in the film was coincidence - Virginia passed by when Charlie was
> sitting on the Millionaire's stoop.

He probably notices that he's not running into him, but I doubt that he knows
where he is.

> so he has to find some other means of
>>helpling her and preserving the illusion that he's rich. And *then* he finds
>>out about the unpaid rent, which he obviously doesn't have the moeny to pay
>>for in hand.
>>
>>I've been wondering lately if he isn't fired on payday. He needs (and expects
>>to get) the money by the next day, but employers in Chaplin's films aren't
>>big on severance pay, so when he's fired he doesn't get paid, which he was
>>counting on to cover the $22 rent.
>
> Possibly the day after payday. He has just come from delivering groceries to
> Virginia and telling her about the operation AND finding out about the overdue
> rent. He had money earlier that day to buy groceries with.

Might well be. Losing the job is not good in any case. Maybe he was hoping to
hit the boss for an advance--as he does the artist in _Immigrant_. Being fired
eliminates that possibility.

>>The prize for winning the boxing match is $50; split two ways it would just
>>cover the rent, and buy a little food until Charlie can get another job. There's
>>an undercurrent of desperation running through that whole sequence. Even when
>>it looks like he might be killed, he attempts the fight because it's his only
>>chance.
>>
>>This explains his ecstatic reaction when the Millionaire offers him $1,000.
>>He hasn't even dreamed of such a windfall. As you say, there's no way he could
>>earn it, certainly not by scooping poop.
>>
>>The summary I quoted bothers me because it ignores the harsh realities that
>>Chaplin recognized through these details. The Blind Girl and the Tramp
>>live in a world where $50 is worth risking one's life for, and $1,000 is
>>a prize that has to be bought by spending months in jail.
>>
>>The summary sentimentalizes and romanticizes the Tramp by ignoring these grim
>>facts. It occurs to me that at least some of the sentimentality Chaplin is
>>taxed for originates not with him, but with people who don't recognize the
>>subtlety of his plots, which are all the more amazing considering his
>>method of creating them.
>>
>>If "method" is the right word. :-) Robinson does an excellent job of
>>documenting the process.
>>
>>Connie K.
>
> Trial and error is a method, isn't it?

It's one I'm notorious for, but it seems more like groping when I do it--and
I don't get such impressive results. :-)

Connie K.
--
"Our century is inconceivable without its . . . inconclusive mob of isms."
 >> Stay informed about: _City Lights_--What's Wrong with This Summary?