MovieChat Forums > City Lights (1931) Discussion > Why is no one noticing a crucial theme o...

Why is no one noticing a crucial theme of the film?


This theme is kind of obvious in a way, but while she was blind, she had no idea of who this lovely man (Chaplin) was. She probably imagined him as dreamy and handsome, and she thought that he was considerably wealthy, which really kept her impressed. However, once she's cured of her blindness and finally sees the man who's been helping her out this last year or so, she has a look of surprise as if he was the last person she expected- a man of obvious imperfection, no offense. This kind of brings up the over-reliance on good looks and social status in this day and age as extremely unfair as it is. And I loved the ending scene because it never ended quite conclusively where you saw them kiss intimately or see the girl widely smile, but it just ambiguously ended at them staring at each other at last.

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*in this world (not day and age)

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You might want to put *spoiler* up in your topic line, in case there's anyone who hasn't seen the movie. The end is so special it's well not to ruin it.
As to the theme of 'over-reliance on good looks and social status' (i.e. money) yes that's a big part of it. The fun of seeing the Tramp pretending to be rich is bitter-sweet and makes us rejoice when he succeeds in helping her--and her realization he was not rich at all, but yet still, a man above many.


"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

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I find the ending, with the tramp nervously biting his nails, to be a bit tragicomic. Human preferences are revealed. She Cannon chose him as her man. It's more of a quasimodo character.

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Who's not noticing? Thought that's what everybody assumes is the theme of the film, what else?! The "line" I can see now speaks volumes for once she was blind but now she can see, the truth of the world.

I never think about the future, it comes soon enough

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i'm pretty sure she liked him at the end.. or maybe I'm wrong.

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