Today In History: City Lights Premiers In L.A.

Life can be wonderful if you're not afraid of it. All it needs is courage, imagination, and a little dough -- Charlie Chaplin (Limelight, 1952)

Did you know that on January 30th, City Lights, debuted in Los Angeles to an eager audience at a time when Hollywood had already transitioned to "talkies" or talking pictures? This 87-minute silent American classic was written, produced, and directed by Charlie Chaplin (1899-1977) who also starred in its lead role: a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl (played by Virginia Cherrill), and befriends an eccentric millionaire (Harry Myers) to help fund an operation that restores her sight but lands him in jail. The film portrays the deep, but silent expressions of love and the value of persevering, despite one's suffering in life. City Lights was a box office hit --- and is considered a masterpiece of Charlie Chaplin -- arguably his most beloved film and one of the greatest films of all time. In 1991 it was added by the Library of Congress to the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance, and it continues to be shown and disussed to this day.

 The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• A Voiceless Chaplin: Letters On Silence. (1931, Jan 11). New York Times (1923-) 
• New Chaplin Picture Coming Next Month: City Lights Will Have Premiere in New York on February 1. (1931, Jan 18). The Sun (1837-) 
• 'City Lights' No Ordinary Film: First Silent Picture Since "Talkies" Came In Play, Music Direction, All Charlie Chaplin's Cinema World Buys First TIickets By Blocks. (1931, Jan 29). Los Angeles Times (1923-1995) 
• Los Angeles Theater Opens Tomorrow Night: Chaplin's City Lights" Will Be Given Premier In New Film Palace Of Unrivalled Beauty. (1931, Jan 29). Los Angeles Times (1923-1995) 
• Peak, M. (1931, Feb 04). Premiers Of "City Lights" Followed By Feast For Brilliant Film Throng. Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960) 
• Watts, R.,Jr. (1931, Feb 07). On the Screen: Charlie Chaplin In 'City Lights'. New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) 
• Pettey, T. (1931, Feb 15). Little Tramp, Minus Noise, Wins Broadway: Chaplin Film Unique In Its Field. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) 
• Chaplin Film 'City Lights,' Here Mar. 12: Hartford Press Club to Attend Private Showing Before Opening at Regal --London Premiere Comedian's Film to Open Here Soon. (1931, Feb 28). The Hartford Courant (1923-) 
• Curtis, T.Q. (1972, Sep 04). Venice Festival Honors Chaplin: 33D Film Event Closes With 'City Lights' In Piazza. New York Times (1923-) 
• Kakutaini, M. (1985, Oct 05). Sad, Sweet Tramp: Chaplin. His Life and Art. New York Times (1923-) 

Tips:

• Chaplin, Charlie, and Lisa Stein Haven. A Comedian Sees the World. Baltimore, Md: Project Muse, 2014. e-book
• Chaplin, Charlie. My Wonderful Visit. England: Hurst & Blackett, 1922. e-book
• Miller, Andrew H. “City Lights: Five Scenes.” Raritan, vol. 35, no. 1, Summer 2015, pp. 34–44. 
• Milton, Joyce. Tramp : the Life of Charlie Chaplin. New York, NY: Open Road Integrated Media, 2014. e-book

Images:

•  Still from City Lights, produced by United Artists, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
•  Theatrical Release Poster, by Hap Hadley, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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