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Year: 1931
Language: English
Country: USA
Runtime: 87 minutes
Color: Black and White
Sound: Mono
Genre: Humor

France:U
Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating)
Spain:T
West Germany:12 (1951)
Germany:6 (re-rating: 1997)
USA:G (1972)
USA:Passed (National Board of Review)
South Korea:All
Argentina:Atp
Australia:G
Chile:TE
Denmark:A (2003)
Norway:7
Sweden:Btl
UK:U

Luces de la ciudad - Argentina / Peru / Spain
Byens lys - Denmark / Norway
Lichter der Großstadt - Austria / Germany
City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime - USA (copyright title)
Kaupungin valot - Finland
Les lumières de la ville - France
Lichter der Großstadt - Eine Komödien-Romance als Pantomime - Germany
Luci della città - Italy
Luminile orasului - Romania
Luzes da Cidade - Brazil
Luzes na Cidade - Portugal
Machi no hi - Japan
Nagyvárosi fények - Hungary
Orot Ha-Krah - Israel (Hebrew title)
Sehir isiklari - Turkey(Turkish title)
Stadens ljus - Sweden
Svetla velegrada - Serbia (imdb display title)
Swiatla wielkiego miasta - Poland
Ta fota tis poleos - Greece
Ta fota tis polis - Greece (reissue title)

No awards

City Lights

Photo of Charles Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill

You can see now? Yes, I can see now.

A tramp (Charles Chaplin) meets a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) who mistakes him for a rich man. He also meets an eccentric millionaire,whom he saves from suicide in a moment of drunken depression. The millionaire is expansive and treats Charlie lavishly when drunk, but forgets knowing him when he becomes sober.

A smitten Charlie sets out to earn the money to pay for the girl's eye operation. Among other things, he tries boxing but ends up without any money. Charlie meets the millionaire again, who is happily drunk and willing to give Charlie cash for the girl's eye surgery. The tramp manages to play the money in the girl's hand before being imprisoned for robbing the millionaire – once again sober and forgetful.

Months later he is released, and by chance passes the elegant flower shop in which the now-cured flower girl is established, always hoping to meet her mysterious patron whom she supposes to be rich and handsome. The girl offers the tramp a flower and a coin and takes hold of his hand to place the coin in it. Feeling him, she realizes who he is.

Cast:

Charlton Heston ... Steve Leech
Gregory Peck ... James McKay
(William Wyler ... Director)
Carroll Baker ... Patricia Terrill
Alfonso Bedoya ... Ram�n Guiteras
Charles Bickford ... Maj. Henry Terrill
Buff Brady ... Dude Hannassey
Jim Burk ... Blackie / Cracker Hannassey
Chuck Connors ... Buck Hannassey
Chuck Hayward ... Rafe Hannassey
Burl Ives ... Rufus Hannassey
Jean Simmons ... Julie Maragon

Alfonso Bedoya - Ramón Guiteras
Bob Morgan - Terrill Cowboy
Buff Brady - Dude Hannassey
Burl Ives - Rufus Hannassey
Carey Paul Peck - Boy
Carroll Baker - Patricia Terrill
Charles Bickford - Maj. Henry Terrill
Charlton Heston - Steve Leech
Chuck Connors - Buck Hannassey
Chuck Hayward - Rafe Hannassey
Chuck Roberson - Terrill Cowboy
Donald Kerr - Liveryman
Dorothy Adams - Hannassey Woman
Gregory Peck - James McKay
Harry Cheshire - Party Guest
Jay W. Jensen - Cowboy
Jean Simmons - Julie Maragon
Jim Burk - Blackie / Cracker Hannassey
John McKee - Terrill Cowboy
Jonathan Peck - Boy
Ralph Sanford - Party Guest
Richard Alexander - Party Guest - Oceans
Roddy McDowall - Hannassey watchman
(Jay) Slim Talbot - Terrill Cowboy
Stephen Peck - Boy

Soundtrack:

"Flower Girl Theme" (1931) (uncredited) Music by José Padilla
"The Star Spangled Banner" (uncredited) Music by John Stafford Smith
"How Dry I Am" (uncredited) Traditional
"Beautiful Wonderful Eyes" (1931) (uncredited) Music by Charles Chaplin
"Tomorrow the Sun Will Shine" (1931) (uncredited) Music by Charles Chaplin
"Happy Romance" (1931) (uncredited) Music by Charles Chaplin
"Promenade" (1931) (uncredited) Music by Charles Chaplin
"Orientale" (1931) (uncredited) Music by Charles Chaplin

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News

103 years ago, Burl Ives † was born. (Rufus Hannassey)
(June 14, 1909)

81 years ago, Carroll Baker was born. (Patricia Terrill)
(May 28, 1931)

Trivia

Peck was the co-producer on the film: “I knew about those things. I had a cattle business. I leased grazing land in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Merced, Modesto. I had dreams of owning a ranch. I would take part in roundups, the roping and the branding. It was part of my life at the time.”
--Source: 030680798X, Page 382

The character played by Charles Bickford was supposed to represent then US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

According to Gregory Peck, director William Wyler intended the film to be a left-wing allegory for the Cold War.

Aged 47 at the time of filming, Burl Ives was only 11 years older than Chuck Connors, who played his son.

The film is credited with starting the trend for pacifist westerns.

Charlton Heston initially turned down the role of ranch foreman Steve Leech because he didn't think the part was big enough. His agent convinced him that it would be worth it just for the opportunity to work with Gregory Peck and William Wyler.

Gregory Peck and director William Wyler clashed repeatedly during filming. After Peck stormed off the set one day following a blazing row Wyler told the press, "I wouldn't direct Peck again for a million dollars and you can quote me on that.".

Alfonso Bedoya's last film. A longtime alcoholic, he died before it was released.

Gregory Peck and co-star Charlton Heston both played the infamous Nazi war criminal Dr. Josef Mengele: Peck in The Boys from Brazil (1978), Heston in My Father, Rua Alguem 5555 (2003).

Only film to feature Gregory Peck and his sons Jonathan Peck, Carey Paul Peck and Stephen Peck.

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City Lights

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City Lights

Cast:

Soundtrack:

Bibliography » Books:

Bibliography » Web:

News

Trivia