Despite its standing as what is perhaps Charlie Chaplin's greatest achievement and creative work, it's strange that City Lights still isn't quite as famous as you'd expect - utter the name of this movie to a random person in the street, and the likelihood is that they probably have no idea what you're talking about (we don't really recommend uttering the names of films to random people in the street: we're just mean on a hypothetical basis). As a showcase for Chaplin's gift to make us laugh and cry in equal measure, City Lights could well be his defining movie - and the best gateway into the films of this master for the uninitiated. The story, which chronicles his most famous character, The Tramp, on a quest to win the affections of a blind flower girl, is completely heartwarming. City Lights may have earned itself a place in the Top 250, then, but it's still not famous enough.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
