Slideshow
THE GOLD RUSH
U.S., 1925
Written and directed by Charles Chaplin
Starring Charles Chaplin, Georgia Hale, Mack Swain
Approx. 72 min. 35mm.
In search of gold in turn-of-the-century Alaska, Chaplin takes refuge with fellow prospector Mack Swain in an isolated, comically-imbalanced cabin, where hunger forces him to eat that famous shoe. The masterpiece that features more great Chaplin moments than any other: the dance of the rolls, the cabin tottering over the cliff, the giant chicken, etc., etc.
Reviews
“A joy to watch, again and again, for the young and old alike.”
– Leonard Maltin, Family Film Guide
“As the poor man of refinement, the overlooked wanderer despairing of romance, the survivalist imp of defiant pride, Chaplin is the apotheosis of the world's despised and downtrodden, and also their hope; he heralds a revolution in anarchic beauty. Yet he's also a bitter realist: even the redemptive grace of love comes only in the wake of an unearned windfall, and his frequent, poignant eye contact with the camera challenges viewers to bear witness and take sides.”
– Richard Brody, The New Yorker
“Here is a comedy with streaks of poetry, pathos, tenderness, linked with brusqueness and boisterousness. It is the outstanding gem of all Chaplin's pictures, as it has more thought and originality than even such masterpieces of mirth as THE KID and SHOULDER ARMS."
– Mordaunt Hall, The New York Times