I actually found this lovely poster while looking for a CIO poster for my New Deal lecture. Since this is one of my favorite movies, I immediately went to YouTube to see what they had from it. Here’s my favorite scene:
It looks like you could watch the whole movie there if you were so inclined.
Today is the 101st anniversary of Jacques Tati’s birth. Tati is the French version of Chaplin. His social commentary is a bit more subtle, but his persona is nearly as wordless (even though his films were made much later) and just as hapless and timid.
In honor of the occasion cable station TCM is running four of his films this evening. They might resonate more with younger viewers (if they can stand the slow pace) because he makes fun of mindless suburban life and cold, impersonal, modern offices.
The agitprop of the labor movement highlighted by Chaplin really seems like a historical document these days.