4. The Gold Rush
Chaplin often said that The Gold Rush was the film he'd liked to be remembered for and it's easy to see why; not only is it arguably Chaplin's best comedy, it's one of the best comedies by any director. In The Gold Rush, The Tramp sets out for the Yukon to seek his fortune during the Klondike Gold Rush. The first part of the film finds The Tramp taking shelter during a blizzard in a cabin with two other prospectors: Big Jim and the fugitive Black Larsen. After some hilarious scenes including The Tramp having to eat his own shoe because of hunger, the trio split up and The Tramp settles in a small town where he gets a job watching over another prospectors house while he is looking for gold. Enormously successful upon its release, The Gold Rush was the fifth highest grossing film of the sound age and has long been considered one of the finest comedies ever made. It features one of Chaplin's trademark happy endings and might just be the most satisfying of all his films.