Charlie Chaplin produced and acted in great movies, and Roger Ebert is correct in placing "The Circus" into his top 350 listing. Chaplin was so much a perfectionist in his films that he often demanded many scenic takes. And some of his films took several years to produce. That is one reason that he was in far less films than the other two nonpareil silent screen comics: Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.
The film begins with circus acts ineffectively performed by clowns and the acrobat/horse rider. Merna (Merna Kennedy), the acrobat who missed a hoop, is punished by her bullying stepfather, the ringmaster/circus proprietor (Allan Garcia). He withholds her dinner. Meanwhile in the fairgrounds our diminutive tramp (Charlie Chaplin) is both hungry and broke. A pickpocket artist in the ground starts a chain of events that develops into a wild chase by police of the tramp, falsely accused. When the Little Tramp is chased into the main circus tent, he interferes with the real acts; the customers think he is part of the show, and they react positively. The crafty circus owner not only hires him, but also underpays him. The tramp does not realize that he is the top attraction until Merna explains the situation to him. After, he approaches the owner, and is hired at a rate of $100 per week. Yet he still does not understand what makes him so funny. While this is happening, The Little Tramp develops a protective and romantic crush on Merna, but seems to confuse her kindness for love, as she loves the tramp as a "friend." (Apparently she was a real love interest in his private life.) Earlier, when she was hungry, Charlie gave her some bread and an egg. After that he overhears a fortune-teller informing Merna of her future. The gypsy says that she will fall in love with a dark and handsome stranger. The Little Tramp, looking into a mirror, somehow believes he is that man. He even becomes a bit nasty. Then a handsome tightrope walker, Rex (Harry Crocker), becomes part of the mix.
There are many funny sight gags, and more than a few will be mentioned. A laugh is the scene in the fairgrounds where Chaplin eats the child's hot dog while applying mustard – and then wipes the child's lips with the bib when the father turns and faces him. In the Mirror Maze, the tramp and policeman are confused by the many reflections. In one of the all-time classic silent screen gags, Charlie becomes part of the automated figures in the Noah's Ark attraction. Afterward, Chaplin tries to throw a cream pie to the hungry Merna, who is sitting high on the rings in the Big Top. But she misses it and the pie subsequently lands on top of the lead property man's head (Stanley Stanford). The ringmaster looks around and is puzzled, and Charlie tries to explain that the white stuff was the droppings of a bird! Yikes! After that, our little hero is locked in a lion's cage; the lion certainly looks real. The door may not have been really locked, but when the sleeping lion yawned, its large bone-cracking jaws were exposed. Maybe the animal was drugged. The lion may have been the same one later seen in other movies in the 1930s featuring folks like Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan) and even Harold Lloyd. By then the aging animal had lost an upper canine. The tightrope scene is classic (and apparently real enough), with Charlie trying to walk a tightrope and trying to keep his pants on while fending off monkeys at the same time.
Some consider the self-sacrificing ending to be odd: Charlie sees the circus wagons leave, and then he contemplates on the crate, and finally arises and hops away in the distance. Maybe the Little Tramp character was a bit anxious, as talkies were already on his doorstep. Chaplin knew that they were destined to take the aura of his silent Little Tramp away. He would make the excellent "City Lights" in 1931, considered the last of the real silent movies, although "Modern Times" (1936) was mostly so. "The Circus" is not one of Chaplin's sentimental types, like "The Kid" (1921) or "City Lights." But his work was good, so enjoy this gem.
The film begins with circus acts ineffectively performed by clowns and the acrobat/horse rider. Merna (Merna Kennedy), the acrobat who missed a hoop, is punished by her bullying stepfather, the ringmaster/circus proprietor (Allan Garcia). He withholds her dinner. Meanwhile in the fairgrounds our diminutive tramp (Charlie Chaplin) is both hungry and broke. A pickpocket artist in the ground starts a chain of events that develops into a wild chase by police of the tramp, falsely accused. When the Little Tramp is chased into the main circus tent, he interferes with the real acts; the customers think he is part of the show, and they react positively. The crafty circus owner not only hires him, but also underpays him. The tramp does not realize that he is the top attraction until Merna explains the situation to him. After, he approaches the owner, and is hired at a rate of $100 per week. Yet he still does not understand what makes him so funny. While this is happening, The Little Tramp develops a protective and romantic crush on Merna, but seems to confuse her kindness for love, as she loves the tramp as a "friend." (Apparently she was a real love interest in his private life.) Earlier, when she was hungry, Charlie gave her some bread and an egg. After that he overhears a fortune-teller informing Merna of her future. The gypsy says that she will fall in love with a dark and handsome stranger. The Little Tramp, looking into a mirror, somehow believes he is that man. He even becomes a bit nasty. Then a handsome tightrope walker, Rex (Harry Crocker), becomes part of the mix.
There are many funny sight gags, and more than a few will be mentioned. A laugh is the scene in the fairgrounds where Chaplin eats the child's hot dog while applying mustard – and then wipes the child's lips with the bib when the father turns and faces him. In the Mirror Maze, the tramp and policeman are confused by the many reflections. In one of the all-time classic silent screen gags, Charlie becomes part of the automated figures in the Noah's Ark attraction. Afterward, Chaplin tries to throw a cream pie to the hungry Merna, who is sitting high on the rings in the Big Top. But she misses it and the pie subsequently lands on top of the lead property man's head (Stanley Stanford). The ringmaster looks around and is puzzled, and Charlie tries to explain that the white stuff was the droppings of a bird! Yikes! After that, our little hero is locked in a lion's cage; the lion certainly looks real. The door may not have been really locked, but when the sleeping lion yawned, its large bone-cracking jaws were exposed. Maybe the animal was drugged. The lion may have been the same one later seen in other movies in the 1930s featuring folks like Johnny Weissmuller (Tarzan) and even Harold Lloyd. By then the aging animal had lost an upper canine. The tightrope scene is classic (and apparently real enough), with Charlie trying to walk a tightrope and trying to keep his pants on while fending off monkeys at the same time.
Some consider the self-sacrificing ending to be odd: Charlie sees the circus wagons leave, and then he contemplates on the crate, and finally arises and hops away in the distance. Maybe the Little Tramp character was a bit anxious, as talkies were already on his doorstep. Chaplin knew that they were destined to take the aura of his silent Little Tramp away. He would make the excellent "City Lights" in 1931, considered the last of the real silent movies, although "Modern Times" (1936) was mostly so. "The Circus" is not one of Chaplin's sentimental types, like "The Kid" (1921) or "City Lights." But his work was good, so enjoy this gem.