Chaplin Directing City Lights
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Uploaded by prgwbtd on Jun 3, 2009
A look behind the scenes as Chaplin directs one of the most memorable scenes in the 1931 film, "City Lights." This particular scene was key in order for the blind girl to think that the Tramp was actually a wealthy man. Chaplin spent a year trying to figure out how to accomplish this, and ended up with 342 takes of the scene when all was said and done. He also did not get along well with Virginia Cherrill who played the blind girl and was easily frustrated with her on set - some of which is apparent in this video.
Uploader Comments (prgwbtd)
Top Comments
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I love the faces he makes at the camera, that was so cute :)
1 year ago 5
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the master at work, working his magic. i love him. would give anything to be able to go back in time and be part of his movies, but i'd prob be a nervous wreck too !
2 years ago 3
All Comments (39)
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better of real film
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These clips of insight into Chaplin are like grains of gold. Thanks for the look.
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@1276epr To the best of my knowledge, it was mostly filmed at the Chaplin Studios with a few "on location in LA" scenes as well.
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...silly me had to watch Charlie's "mugging" again, and OMG... I can almost feel his sexual charisma and charm coming right through the film! It's easy to see why his reputation as a "lady-killer" was so well earned; what normal red-blooded girl could resist THAT? Ok; I'll stop gushing now. ;-)
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Oh, how I LOVE, love, love Charlie's mugging for the camera at around 1:45 - that's got to be one of the cutest things I've ever seen him do! Wish I could go back just over 80 years ago and to have him doing this right in front of me at the time and to see those lovely blue eyes of his! I'd faint. LOL *Sigh* I was born WAY too late! Thanks for posting this!!
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Wish I knew what he was saying lol Darn silent films HA! :)
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Love the behind the scenes look...did i see Charlie spit in one of the break in the filming? lol
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This is awesome!!! I was wondering if there is something like this about Charlie's movies and here're it is!! Thanks for sharing:)
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fascinating stuff, thankyou.
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I think the tall man in overalls at 4:41 who looks like he's on the crew is the same tall man who rises up out of the lift in the sidewalk.
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does anyone know where this scene was actually filmed?
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Sexii ass
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were did you get the city lights theme.
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GREAT THANKS*****
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cool
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haha exactly. Virginia was the better girl, she had, as Chaplin put it, "Blind looking eyes without taking away from her beauty." =)
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Aw, I haven't heard it like that. Lol which ever story it is, Cheryll was his main girl :).
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It's a great book! I've read it 6x and it just gets better and better =)
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You're right, partly... haha. But Chaplin filmed part of the film with Cherrill, but he got very frustrated with her and eventually fired her. Mainly because she wanted to get off for a hair appointment then returned late. He was going to then use Georgia Hale, but the cost was way too much so he was forced to rehire Cherrill. =)
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Awesome =D
And mymy Thank you!
But you ,too,rock! Ahaha
Chaplin et Goddard for everrrr Muahahahaha ;]
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1:57 !! And any particular reason this took so darn long to shoot?
xABitTooGorgeousx 2 years ago
Yeah, and it's a long story. The short version is that for the entire plot of the film to work, the blind girl had to believe that the Tramp was rich. This is the scene where that has to take place. He didn't know how to do it, so he shot the scene on and off for nearly a year before he figured it out. He did something like 342 takes of it. Chaplin was such a perfectionist, he always took a long time, but this is on record as the most takes he's done of one scene. He's obviously frustrated here.
prgwbtd 2 years ago
Yes Chaplin WAS a perfectionist.Just wondered why he was so indecisive with this scene .hmm that would be annoying !!!
xABitTooGorgeousx 2 years ago
Yeah, it wasn't so much indecisiveness as it was writer's/director's block. He could have done this film with sound and that would have simplified the whole situation. But Chaplin wanted it to be silent, so he had to figure out how to get the blind girl to think the Tramp was rich visually. A year went by before he did figure it out by using the car. Virginia Cherryl (blind girl) said that Chaplin would simply retake shots when he didn't know what to do, in hopes of something clicking.
prgwbtd 2 years ago