Movie Analysis of "The Gold Rush" (Essay Sample)

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"The Gold Rush" (1925)
Charlie Chaplin’s 1925 film, "The Gold Rush”, is entirely what one would expect from an actor like him. Yet aside from the slapstick couture of the film, what distinguishes it from his other movie performances is its satirical allure. The title itself implies the involvement of history; and the story, having been set in Alaska with the same situation proposed by its title, deploys social issues sugar-coated with farcical antics and exaggerated scenarios of survival.
"The Gold Rush" runs more than an hour and a half, and it does so by filling every minute with absurd skits of the Tramp’s endeavours in the chilly terrain. Although it is often argued that the story could have still been said in far less than an hour and a half, there are three factors that affect the sustainment of viewer interest: satirical appeal, historical relevance, and its comedic atmosphere.
Chaplin having to be the lead actor in this film somehow automatically directs viewers’ expectations to see slapstick comedy—his signature genre. Otherwise noted of course, Chaplin may actually be the universal icon for such genre. There is no denying that the thrill for comedy is what most viewers regard as "entertainment" since it provokes enjoyment. Chaplin being cast, therefore, can be a prelude or foreshadowing that whatever film is played is intended for pure entertainment.
Slapstick comedy falls under the comedy genre in films where it is often characterized by strong visuals and bizarre behaviour often through means of violent physical interpretations. The film’s silent characteristic further highlights the use and importance of the physical expressions. This kind of physical tragedy that is less grotesque and more inclined to fun—a kind of fun that Chaplin captures (Crowther 172). In the early episode for instance, the treadmill-like scene in the cabin, and Big Jim McKay and Black Larsen struggling for the shotgun and constantly pointing it at the Tramp; and towards the last part regarding their tussles in tipping cabin at the edge of the cliff, all portray this kind of suspenseful fun that is well-played by Chaplin. Even the psychological manifestations portrayed as highly comical: their ridiculous way of solving their starvation problem in the cabin as they pretended to dine into a "gourmet" shoe. Chaplin, through "The Gold Rush" has effectively shown his inventiveness not only by being the actor, but also by being the director and writer of the film (Kauffman 184). Taking the words of Chaplin himself he claims that in the creation of comedy, it is paradoxical that tragedy stimulates the spirit of ridicule; because ridicule was supposed to be an attitude of defiance: people must laugh in the face of helplessness against the natural occurrences or "go insane" (Chaplin 327). Insanity was often remarked in the film as a type of foolishness, as which was shown as the Tramp’s insufferable infatuation for Georgia more so expressed through his excitement over the dinner party he prepared which she eventually disregarded. But the foolish embellishments were not all in courtesy of the Tramp. Some of these acts were bluntly manifested as well by Big Jim, specifically, as he wanders about the town and ends up hastily concluding that the gold mine is in their cabin. Ignorance and lack of common sense, having been attributed as partly comedic, can be perceived as a point of interest to the viewers: one, having known that the characters are stupid; and two, having been aware of this kind of stupidity in real life. Generally, the stereotypical assertions made in "The Gold Rush" for entertainment was the flag-bearer of the film’s ability to retain the interest of its viewers.
Similarly, the idea of it being historic has also its own charm. The Alaska Gold Rush has a certain connection to the development of that country and to which most are aware and have studied throughout history. The evidence that it existed can portray numerous relevant points of agreement: that the film, having incorporated history in its theme, has allowed the viewers to be able to connect and sympathize with their past. Furthermore, Willet states that historical incidents are unique, transitory incidents associated with particular periods and the conduct of the persons involved in them are not fixed and "universally human”; it includes elements that have been or may have been overtaken by the course of history, and those who are born after such recognized period may be alienated by such conduct through incessant evolution (97). The use of a historical event in the film "The Gold Rush" is therefore pioneering the importance of knowing appreciating such occurrence in history. The opening scene most especially, was the brave and forefront infusion of such history as it gives the viewers (both foreign and native of Alaska) an idea of the Klondike Gold Rush by showing the Chilkoot Pass, which in the film, was described as "a test of man’s endurance." Similarly, the prospectors—both their goal and their population—have aptly symbolized the gravity of the event and how much it affected the people of the place. The Lone Prospector or the Tramp, however, appeared as a leeway character that revealed a deviant aspect of that history having been comical and s...