Modern Times (1936)
Modern Times is a 1936 comedy movie directed by Charlie Chaplin, with a running time of 1h 27m. It stars Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard and Henry Bergman.
Chaplin's Little Tramp takes a job on a factory line, where the machines move faster than any human wrist can follow and the working day has been engineered to squeeze out every last second. Between misadventures with gears, gadgets, and the law, he crosses paths with a spirited young woman scraping by on the streets, and the two start dreaming of an ordinary home together. Charlie Chaplin's last near-silent comedy is slapstick with a conscience, laughing at the machine age while feeling for the small people caught in its cogs.
Quick answers
What is Modern Times about?
Chaplin's Little Tramp takes a job on a factory line, where the machines move faster than any human wrist can follow and the working day has been engineered to squeeze out every last second. Between misadventures with gears, gadgets, and the law, he crosses paths with a spirited young woman scraping by on the streets, and the two start dreaming of an ordinary home together. Charlie Chaplin's last near-silent comedy is slapstick with a conscience, laughing at the machine age while feeling for the small people caught in its cogs.
When was Modern Times released?
Modern Times was released on 5 February 1936.
How long is Modern Times?
Modern Times runs 1h 27m.
Who made Modern Times?
Modern Times was directed by Charlie Chaplin.
Where can I watch Modern Times?
Modern Times is available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV.
Where to watch Modern Times
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV
Watch free: Kanopy
Watch free with ads: Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Mometu, YouTube Free
Cast
- Charlie Chaplin as The Tramp (A Factory Worker)
- Paulette Goddard as A Gamin
- Henry Bergman as Cafe Proprietor
- Tiny Sandford as Big Bill
- Chester Conklin as Mechanic
- Hank Mann as Burglar
- Stanley Blystone as Gamin's Father
- Al Ernest Garcia as President of the Electro Steel Corp.
- Richard Alexander as Prison Cellmate
- Cecil Reynolds as Minister
- Mira McKinney as Minister's Wife
- Murdock MacQuarrie as J. Widdecombe Billows
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A few thoughts on Modern Times
Silent-era slapstick with a soft heart and a sharp eye for hard times. If you love physical comedy built on timing and running gags, the classic-TV romps The Abbott and Costello Show and Rising Damp carry the same spirit into small rooms and everyday scrapes, trading the factory floor for domestic chaos.
Physical, sight-gag comedy from the silents to today
Modern Times leans on Chaplin's body, his props, and a factory determined to defeat him, keeping dialogue almost beside the point. These keep physical comedy front and center, from a classic knockabout duo to animated adventures that stage their biggest laughs as pure motion and mishap. Reach for them when you want gags you watch happen rather than hear.