Policing in Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times Essay

Introduction

Before the industrial revolution, factories and mass production did not exist. There was a delicate balance between being human and being a business entity. Chaplin’s main goal was to show that “the times” were changing drastically due to this mass production. People were beginning to lose their humanity by becoming more business driven and more mechanical in their actions, hence the title “Modern Times.” In Modern Times (1936), Charlie Chaplin uses the police to critique mass production and conformity; in particular, Chaplin criticizes the mechanization of factory workers and its effects on their moral development.¹ This essay aims to show how the factory has dehumanized and transformed itself into a giant prison.

Chaplin’s Film Modern Times

Chaplin’s film Modern Times shows the audience an entire city of people utterly dependent on technology instead of human interaction. These people live in a world where crime is everywhere, but it does not occur to them that there may be a way to stop it. They do not try to think about what could go wrong if they do not use their phones or computers and assume everything will be fine if they stay connected 24 hours a day. This lack of self-awareness leads them into trouble because they do not see from anyone else’s perspective except their own. They do not understand how different people in different circumstances can react when faced with situations that need immediate attention versus those which require more planning or consideration.

The film gets at the criticism of industrial production through its utilization of the police, who stand as an example of order and control. Like the factory supervisors in the film, the police ruthlessly use their power over others.² The authorities act on behalf of the influential members of society, often the target of Chaplin’s satire. For example, the police apprehend Charlie when he steals food from the wealthy Mr. Scaupey’s house after he takes pity on a kitten that may otherwise starve to death. Later, Charlie steals food from a Japanese family, who appear to have a lot of food in reserve. His antics cause minor damage – he knocks over some tables and propels himself into a wall – but he manages to escape because the chase is more important than stopping him from stealing. The police chase him up and down a narrow staircase and eventually call for backup to catch Charlie when he temporarily eludes them.

Criticism of Industrialization in Modern Times

In the 1936 film Modern Times, the industrialization of society is portrayed as an opposing force for the working class. The audience is introduced to the plight of workers in an industrial setting. The film begins with a montage of factory workers at work, followed by scenes showing them going about their daily lives.³ The film’s primary themes are:

1. the rise of mechanization and automation in the industry;
2. the class conflict between workers and management;
3. the dehumanization of industrial workers;
4. how these themes affect an individual’s sense of self-worth and sense of community.

The first theme is conveyed through montage, where, in the opening sequence, people can see various scenes from factories worldwide as they gradually become automated. The second theme is conveyed through dialogue between characters who represent management and workers; it is clear that these two groups have diverging interests but do not seem able to resolve them peacefully. The third theme is conveyed through dialogue between different groups within each group. It becomes apparent over time that these groups are powerless against an outside force that controls their lives completely; the machines. This theme is seen when some characters realize that they have been replaced by robots or other machines entirely.

In the film, Chaplin plays a factory worker forced to work long hours for low pay. He is forced to work under conditions that are dangerous and unhealthy.⁴ The film shows how these workers are treated by their factory employers and how they react to these conditions. One example of this is when one of the workers gets injured while working on machinery in the factory.

The other employees do not care about his well-being; they only care about keeping their jobs, which means continuing their work at the machine without stopping, even when it hurts him. Another example comes when a man has a heart attack while working at the machine because his supervisor has asked him to increase production and speed up production as much as possible without regard for safety issues or consequences such as injuries. He dies because he refuses to speed up production without knowing if this will cause more harm than good regarding his health and life expectancy.

Modern Times and Policing

In Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times (1936), the police are depicted as having a heavy hand in enforcing laws that have been made in favor of the capitalist system. The film’s opening scene has a group of workers marching into town, carrying signs that read “Workers of the World Unite” and demanding better working conditions. The workers are met by a group of police officers who promptly arrest them for breaking a law that says you cannot protest in front of factories.⁵

The next scene shows what happens when the police try to arrest a worker for not doing enough work. An argument begins between them, but it ends when one of the workers throws a rock at one of the officers on horseback. This behavior shows the audience how violence is used against those unwilling to do their jobs well or quickly. The film highlights how workers are mistreated because they are considered disposable by society.

Finally, the audience can see many workers trying to get into factories to work faster and produce more products than before. This act causes enormous problems for everyone involved, especially if there are no guards present at all times to keep everyone safe from harm while working on machinery.⁶ These scenes depict how people are treated as commodities when they cannot pay for necessities like food and shelter. The film further portrays how society depends on mass production for survival. For example, all citizens need to work in factories just like everyone else if they want to survive financially and physically. People live in a society where they must work long hours for little pay so that capitalists can have more money than they need.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this film is most effective in revealing the problems of mass production and the potential rebellion that might come from it. Chaplin’s criticism of industrialization is based upon his depiction of the factory wage slave. To accomplish this, Chaplin uses the factory whistle as a metonym for alienation posed by industrialization. Through this symbol, Chaplin implies the alienation of the worker in general. The police that emerge from the factory after the whistle blows are a physical manifestation of the force against which workers must continually struggle, the representation of industrialization itself. Chaplin critiqued the assembly line and its dehumanizing effects in several films, including Modern Times (1936). Modern Times is perhaps Chaplin’s most highly regarded film, with its hard-hitting social commentary and subtle humor.

Footnotes

1. Modern Times, directed by Charlie Chaplin (United Artists, 1936), 0:12:41. Web.
2. Modern Times, directed by Charlie Chaplin (United Artists, 1936), 0:29:16. Web.
3. Modern Times, directed by Charlie Chaplin (United Artists, 1936), 0:03:11. Web.
4. Modern Times, directed by Charlie Chaplin (United Artists, 1936), 1:02:51. Web.
5. Modern Times, directed by Charlie Chaplin (United Artists, 1936), 1:08:15. Web.
6. Howe, L. (2013). Charlie Chaplin in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: Reflexive Ambiguity in “Modern Times.” College Literature, 40(1), 45–65. Web.