Description: This is a lighthearted satire of urban industrial life in the first half of the 20th century. While working on an assembly line, the "Little Tramp" gets a tick that makes him move like a machine. He then becomes stuck on a conveyor belt and run through another machine. He is used as a test dummy for a feeding machine. The boss spies on him in the men's room through hidden cameras. He meets a waif and falls in love. He is mistakenly labeled a communist and arrested. He encounters cocaine while in jail. He gets a job in a department store but loses it. He tries work as a waiter, only to lose that job. None of these setbacks crush his spirit.

Modern Times is acknowledged to be the last of the great silent movies. Although it does have some sound, there is no spoken dialogue.

Benefits: While quite funny, Modern Times contains famous and enduring images that constitute significant social commentaries on industrialized societies. It is also an excellent introduction to silent films, to Charlie Chaplin (one of the greatest actor/directors of all time), and to his classic "Little Tramp" character. The movie will also introduce children to the assembly line, the poverty of the Great Depression, the labor unrest that occurred during the Great Depression, and the redbaiting that was used to suppress labor unions. Note the scene in which the Little Tramp is spied on by the boss. The ability to spy on employees was science fiction in 1936 when the movie was made. It is reality today.