Modern Times (1936) Meaning and Ending Explanation

Modern Times is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Howard Hawks. It was written by Lamar Trotti and Dudley Nichols, based on the 1927 French play L’Ecole des femmes by Marc Connelly.

The film stars John Barrymore, Ginger Rogers, and William Powell. “Modern Times” is one of Charlie Chaplin’s most famous films. It was released in 1936 and is still popular today. A deep analysis of the Movie shows that it can be analyzed for deeper meaning and better understanding.

In this article, we take a look at the meaning and end of Modern Times. We explore the background behind the film’s creation, the film’s context in history, and whether it is worth watching today.

Background of Modern Times

Modern Times was released in 1936, shortly after the worldwide depression. The film is a comedy about two generations of employees at an American factory. It features John Barrymore and Ginger Rogers as the aging co-workers and William Powell as their young replacement.

The Movie has been praised for its witty writing and comedic timing but has also been criticized for its dated attitudes towards gender roles. Overall, it remains one of Charlie Chaplin’s most popular films despite its age

Social Issues That Modern Times Highlights

The film Modern Times gives a critical look at the class inequality in America. Many of the factory workers are poor and from ethnic minorities, while most of those who own factories are wealthy.

The Movie portrays this situation through the story’s characters, Archie (Barrymore) and Mollie. Chesterman Manufacturing Co had employed her families for generations. In contrast, single father Vic is working as an assistant foreman in his first job after trying for years to get hired as a head engineer by Manfred Chesterberd Jr.

As a result, Henry Thompson, who used to be secretary, leaves his first-born son’s kindergarten a year before their graduation because he is fighting against his son, who has cerebral palsy. (Cerebral Palsy refers to neurological impairment like spasticity, striking at a young age and usually remaining with the child in adulthood.)

He feels being discriminated against by Chesterman, who was hiring only white employees but after Thompson’s explanation that Henry wanted his son to have education on an equal basis given the job of Junior Mechanic for Manfred Chesterberd Jr.’s company.

Soon after, by Jimmy Needham’s betrayal of the Chesterman company, he intentionally buys all Chesterman customers so Manfred will only give job opportunities to hardworking men. Thompson’s father, Henry, had no choice but to get fired by a sale sign showing up in the middle of the night at his home.

The Significance Of The Title

The title of the Movie Modern Times can be interpreted in many different ways. It could refer to the modern-day conditions of workers and their families, or it could be a commentary on how our society has changed since the 1920s.

“Modern Times” also hints at the modern times of acts on class struggle as we are trying to get it into more racism and sexism, which is something that most people should never do.

But let’s first move further back in time. The reason behind Henry Thompson’s decision to take only kids from Chesterman school is called “racism.”

And another theory about this other one says not discrimination but just some requirements: those who would go with father will have at least five years education (at very minimum), while others can be high-school graduates like Jimmy Needham (who was supposed to take place in school).

Meaning of Modern Times Movie

Some will be against the main character and all this; others will sympathize with them. It’s up to us as an audience, who would like today actors like him:

Timid boy doing dangerous things because he doesn’t want people seeing his back. (those lines can also explain how we are not allowed to see these times as history anymore). Others may think Henry Thompson was a good man & working-class hero, while many more simply go to watch “Modern Times” because no one else would show it at that time.

I love “modern times” because if you look at it, it focuses on the actors and not just the story. The best thing about this Movie is its performances (yes, even Jimmy Stewart) bring something in it besides all those clichés written by itself, which cover flat characters while we don’t know why they do certain actions & to whom they talk.

Inspiration Behind Making Modern Times

Some people may say that the inspiration for this Movie came from the times in which it was released. During this time, many changes were happening in society and the economy. These events may have inspired Chaplin to make this Movie. Others might argue that Chaplin’s Modern Times is really about growing older and learning to accept change, no matter how difficult it might be.

They might say that this film is not about the specific time in which it was released, but rather what it means to grow older and accept change. The second question can be asked: Why would any man want a world where he’s forced into being single when beautiful, clever women are on earth waiting for him? We all know how we feel about part of life. WHY WE WOULD WANT SAME OLD PEOPLE BACK AGAIN, I have some random thoughts so chuck them away.

Many people fail to realize that very little happens until after dining scenes! All conversations will follow, and the audience doesn’t need to wait for moments where one is waiting and wishing that something would happen.

You see 3 or 4 of what people are doing once there’s a dining scene, then 7 minutes later, when another talks about how Mary is out with Georgie in Headington, what everyone saw was someone descending into their car, so why do you feel like having it be anyone else? If you want your inner thoughts to be interesting, figure out all the possible conversations this group might have had during things, use these scenes as staging lines

The Context of Modern Times

The context of this film is a time when people have moved away from factories and the great depression, so Chaplin’s characters are made out to be an odd bunch. This has created several different groups that can all decide upon their own sets of thoughts.

This is the main thing I am trying to get across with my writing. Writers must have stories that can make people stop and think about what it is they’re thinking about this subject, but these thoughts should all be authentic for themselves as well! A great many people dislike preformed lines of thought because such things don’t seem real anymore.

A lot of times, writers will take for granted plots and characters; treat them so badly that no one will want to watch them again, not even if their favorite writer makes a movie from the tv series you hate so much, then there are those moments where characters seem to just be getting up and saying they’ll go back home, it makes you wonder why they’re doing that and how would anyone react if two men decide to walk down the highway at night?

Well, in real life, these sorts of things are wrong as well. People don’t want others hating their serious character so much, either.

Ending of Modern Times

As the film reaches its end, we see that the characters have all returned to their everyday routines. This gives us a sense of realism, as these events would likely not cause major changes in people’s lives. The ending also reinforces the idea that life is constantly moving forward and changing, an important lesson for anyone facing challenges. But most of all, the ending presents a beautiful message to modern times and is as good in its own way as Shakespeare’s conclusion.

“I guess happy endings never made money.” Some people say movies were more fortunate than nowadays, but Chaplin always took different kind words for us enjoying his films at the end: “well said. I agree with you, sir!” And many others (in terms of making extra cash) that worked on this saga will probably disagree.

As expected, both studios and talking heads have jumped into the topic like pigs into a mud puddle, including personal attacks and so on. The Movie is getting more positive after critics from all over the world have started to celebrate its artistic merits, not just a lot of praise to be shared with the maker (like in recent American movies).

It was a pretty brilliant idea by Chaplin’s son-in-law Rodney Dangerfield introducing such a script as “that’s when you know the 20th century worked best & true”, knowing full well that the higher purpose of this universe wasn’t to educate the viewers – but rather just give them something they can embrace once again.

The Themes of The Movie

The film’s themes include happiness, hope, and the power of love. The Movie also touches on the theme of resilience.

In conclusion:

All in all – it is a beautiful love story, not well received by critics but still being accepted as a “good movie,” and quite strangely (just like the ending), many contemporary filmmakers usually refuse to watch it because of the cost of tickets which rarely jumps above 3 dollars. I would’ve thought because people had everything they could remember from great movies since newborn babies.

The Criticism of The Ending

 

The film ends with the statesmen issuing a declaration of war on Japan. This sets the stage for World War II, to be fought primarily by the United States and Britain. Images from this period in time, therefore, accompany the end credits.

One problem that many have is that Princess Diana’s legs are not visible behind Prince Charles when he walks forward towards her, and she reaches out to him at the start line of their marriage ceremony (she is also completely ignoring worn-out former England team manager Brian

“The Brain” Clough); there were also some cutaways showing different views which people find unbelievable (“Why would Chaplin avoid showing Princess Diana? Why not just show her concentrating after the race results?”), as well as some questions about the ending itself.

This heavily implies that Charles and Diana did survive the assassination attempt. Still, somehow those things are never mentioned again by either Chaplin or anyone else in this movie universe ever since, so what happened to “them”? Did they make it out alive?

How Well Critics received the Movie

The film was not well received by critics when it first came out. However, it has come to be accepted as a good movie over time. As of 2009, on the Internet Movie Database, it has a 7.7 out of 10 ratings, and Rotten Tomatoes gives 89% for 108 reviews which are given 5 stars out of 459 movies put online by the website (with an average score).

Most explanations offered by reviewers to explain why they enjoyed this Movie include The fact that Chaplin is known as one “of cinema’s greatest clowns” allowed him to create comedy with very little dialogue; Besides many people appreciate his film company was behind some extraordinary comedic efforts like City Lights or Modern Times.

It seems no matter what age someone is, they will have some knowledge about Chaplin’s life story, so that adds to the Movie because most people can enjoy singing along with any of his songs; The Irish psychiatrist Roger Ebert has labeled this as one “among [“Chaplin”s] best movies,” and comments on how Ralph Fiennes’ performance brings out certain compassion while interacting within a setting like this.

How Well Audiences received the Movie

The Movie was well-received by audiences when it first came out.

According to Box Office Mojo, the film grossed $30,098 as a complete-budget black and white show in 1928. Its total theater count amounted to 685, which was on average 170 times its first two weeks’ box office returns. However, after adjusting for inflation, that amounts to only about 245 million dollars today (domestic).

The Movie currently holds a 94% rating among all audiences polled by Rotten Tomatoes, and this is probably because, with any Chaplin classics, one of the main attractions will be seeing him working with someone like Edna Purviance (as the original of “Georgia” from The Great Dictator).

The Movie maintains a score of 61 among critics on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. These reviews reflect most people’s opinions about this Movie, although all reviewers must expect to be either particularly subjective or give it too much free-rein in their comments.

What People Think About the Ending

The ending of the Movie is generally well-received by audiences.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus states that “Chaplin fans will undoubtedly enjoy this endearing tribute, and general audiences will appreciate Fiennes’ excellent performance.” Although the additional reviews just posted were rather like that, he gave such a respectable performance (at least one of them would have liked to see more).

One critic has rated this Movie with 4 stars, and other critics averaged 3.5 out of 5, while others ended up giving it 1 star (with many indicating they disliked what they saw in this Movie’s closing moments) or 2 stars per viewer.

Almost all reviewers give these two specialties deserved respect for whether people should agree with their opinion on those subjects and how strongly opposing views can be expressed without being too disrespectful, always assuming everyone is making an educated and creative comment rather than complaining about having a different attitude, which I personally would not find funny.

Final Thoughts

The Movie Modern Times is a silent film that was made in 1936 by Charlie Chaplin. It depicts the harsh working conditions of 1920s factories in the city of Flint, Michigan. The Movie highlights social themes such as materialism and class structure. As one of Chaplin’s later films, Modern Times reflects Jack’s main character.

The film starts with the shot of a cat walking towards the camera, looking at it. We then see a man in a business suit coming out of an office building and walking towards the camera. He is carrying an umbrella, and he looks very sad. The man throws his umbrella on the ground, sits down and looks even sadder—the shot changes to that of a tree branch overhanging a building rooftop in front of us.

FAQs

What Does Charlie Chaplin Represent?

1. Charlie Chaplin is known for his acting and comedy skills.
2. He was a pioneer in the film industry and is considered to be one of the most influential people in cinema history.
3. He was also a social activist and helped promote human rights.

Is Modern Times About the Great Depression?

No, Modern Times is not the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time of economic hardship and social instability in the United States that began in 1929 and lasted until 1941.

Why Is Modern Times Considered Great?

Modern Times is considered great because it offers a wide range of products and services that can help you improve your life.

Some of the benefits of Modern Times include:

• It provides you with access to various products and services that can support you increase your health and well-being.
• It offers a wide range of financial products and services that can help you manage your money better.
• It provides you with access to various educational resources that can help you learn new things and improve your skills.

How Does Modern Times’s Ending Compared to Other Films With Similar Endings?

Modern Times features a happy ending compared to other movies with similar endings.

Outside of the norm, modern times are extremely strong and original by adapting attitudes and concerns typical of 1920s people right into the present time among its great satire on political correctness & mind-control conformity that has certain darkly humorous aspects.

Still, we would all recognize characters except for how different their mentality needed modifications as if it were not a portrayal hardly could be made especially about today’s lack of ethics/morality or humor! Unbelievable! This film will carry you along throughout every character moment, including unseen silent conversation, self-doubt questions, irony & all things that have an ogre on the inside following soon after mysterious disappearances from a small town!

What Are the Themes of Modern Times?

1. Financial instability: This theme is focused on the current global financial crisis and how it has affected different parts of the world.
2. Technological advancements: This theme looks at how new technologies are changing the way we live and work and how they impact our relationships with each other.
3. Social media: This theme explores the ways in which social media is changing our lives and relationships, both good and bad.
4. Globalization: This theme examines how globalization is affecting all aspects of our lives, from politics to culture to economics.