City Light Vs Hollywood

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin is his official name. However the he is more commonly known as Charlie or The Little Tramp. Charlie Chaplin once said, “Work is life, and I love to live” (brainyquote.com). Work is exactly what Charlie Chaplin did on the set of all his films. His love for work showed in his two most recognized films, City Lights and Limelight. City Lights was his most famous sound film done in a silent style and Limelight being his last sound film. Both these films encompassed the romantic comedy genre, yet still had their differences. Even though City Lights was a silent film, Chaplin was able to portray the story through his music and way of communicating through his comedic acting. “One of the underlying themes in City Lights is that society is blind to the virtues and worth of someone who looks like the tramp” (White, 22). On the other hand Chaplin’s film Limelight had a different edge to it. Still being a romantic comedy, the underlying theme seemed to portray his ending career through the character Terry played by Claire Bloom as well as the love of one's art and the love that a couple share.
In City Lights, Chaplin is taken in by a drunken millionaire when Chaplin saves him from committing suicide. “The rich man is only generous when he is blind drunk” (White, 22). When intoxicated
The difference being now that Chaplin is the drunken man (Calvero) saving a girl. It is quickly visible that Chaplin is depicted through the character Terry. He mirrored his own fears of wanting to commit suicide as an aging entertainer. "What is this urge that makes us go on and on?" asks Calvero, a question that can’t help but be thought about even for the viewer. The ballerina (Terry) loves to perform but is delayed by a psychosis that makes her legs “paralyzed.” I take Terry’s success to be the root of her