About The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush is a 1925 American comedy silent film directed by Charlie Chaplin who also stars in the film as the quirky and love-struck prospector during the Gold Rush. The film borrows the life of prospectors who went in Alaska in search for gold. Features such as love, hunger, and friendship were greatly addressed in the film, making it both humorous and poignant.

Making / Production

The movie was produced by Charles Chaplin Productions and was distributed by United Artists. Notably, this was the first film for which Chaplin composed the music. The film was shot on location in the Sierra Nevada in California.

Actors

• Charlie Chaplin - The Tramp: An endearing, comic figure with pants too big, shoes too small, and a mustache, virtues a plenty, always gets the girl, in this case, Georgia.
• Georgia Hale - Georgia: The dance hall girl who the Tramp falls in love with.
• Mack Swain - Big Jim McKay: A prospector who discovers a large gold deposit.
• Tom Murray - Black Larson: A fellow prospector and criminal who tries to take Big Jim's gold.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was inspired by the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon.
• Chaplin proclaimed at the time of its release that this was the film by which he wanted to be remembered.

Awards

While The Gold Rush did not win any awards at the time of its release (the Academy Awards weren't established until 1929), it's widely regarded as one of Chaplin's greatest films and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1992.

Quotes

• "There ain't no gold here, Jim. Guess we've been suckered again."
• "You see, I'm very particular who I dance with."

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Chaplin himself, a talented musician. He composed the music from 1942 onwards.
• The film's famous dance of the rolls music is an original composition by Chaplin.