--- title: "City Lights: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/city-lights/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/city-lights" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # City Lights (1931): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Every review is positive, and most are warm. The praise gathers around Chaplin’s pantomime and his decision to keep the film silent, which critics from 1931 onwards treat as the right call rather than a stubborn one. The prize-fight sequence is named again and again as the comic high point, and several reviews single out the closing scene as the film’s emotional peak. The mix of slapstick and sentiment is the recurring phrase, and most think the balance holds. The reservations are about pace and sentiment. Time Out finds the structure baggy and the story of the Tramp and the blind flower-seller close to too sweet, while Variety, writing in 1931, thinks the film gives up speed for pathos and is not Chaplin’s best. The Hollywood Reporter, revisiting its original verdict, agrees it is funny but not exceptional. The spread runs from good to near-perfect, with the two trade papers coolest and the later critics warmest. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 February 1972. Chaplin's City Lights succeeds as timeless comedy rooted in basic human needs rather than topical events. The film masterfully blends sentiment with gags through the Tramp's pantomime and avoids dialogue to preserve its visual eloquence. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/city-lights-1931) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 2007. The review calls City Lights a masterpiece and one of cinema's greatest endings, praising its ability to convey profound human desire for acceptance through silence and narrative alone. It singles out the final shot of the Tramp's naked self-exposure and vulnerability as the film's emotional and philosophical peak. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/talk-is-cheap-city-lights/) ## The New York Times — Mordaunt Hall Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 1931. Chaplin proves the eloquence of silence in this non-dialogue film full of mirth and pathos. The production is worked out with admirable artistry, mixing laughter with sentiment in an eloquent silent picture. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1931/02/07/archives/chaplin-hilarious-in-his-city-lights-tramps-antics-in-nondialogue.html) ## Empire — David Parkinson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic calls the film a precision blend of slapstick and sentiment that was proclaimed Chaplin's masterpiece after he stuck with silent techniques. It highlights hilarious comedy sequences like the boxing match and elevator gag alongside its touching qualities. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/city-lights-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2023. The review reprints and endorses the original 1931 verdict that the film is very funny with strong entertainment value despite not being a world-beater. It singles out the opening gag mocking talkies and the prize-fight sequence as standout comedic highlights, along with Chaplin's eloquent pantomime. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/city-lights-charlie-chaplin-review-movie-1235312723/) ## Time Out — GB Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The film comes close to excessive sentimentality in its story of the Tramp's love for a blind flower-seller but is saved by slapstick and Chaplin's delicate handling of emotion. Its structure is baggy, yet it contains many great moments and well-judged sound effects. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/city-lights) ## Variety — Sid Silverman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 February 1931. City Lights is another good Chaplin picture with strong box-office potential due to its novelty as a silent film and the star's popularity, though it may tire after the first week. It sacrifices speed for pathos and is not his best, but features hilarious sequences like the prize fight and superb pantomime. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1931/film/reviews/city-lights-1200410506/) ## Eye for Film — James Benefield Rating 5/5. 8 May 2010. The critic calls it a wonderful love story with the most romantic, life-affirming final shot in cinema. They highlight its intelligence, social conscience, and perfect blend of comedy, romance, and commentary on class and perception as close to cinematic perfection. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/city-lights-film-review-by-james-benefield) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/city-lights.md