History Film / CityLights

* DisabledLoveInterest: The film revolves around the Tramp falling in love with a blind flower seller.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/citylights_818.jpg]]

The plot involves Chaplin as TheTramp, falling in love with a blind flower girl (Cherrill) he meets on the street. Later he convinces a drunken millionaire (Myers) not to commit suicide, and the Millionaire proclaims the Tramp his [[HeterosexualLifePartner friend for life]]. This lasts for as long as the Millionaire is drunk, of course. Oddly enough the Millionaire forgets who Chaplin is while sober, but remembers him again when drunk. Chaplin uses this new temporary millionaire status to woo the flower girl by buying all her flowers and driving her home in the Millionaire's car, and later by trying to pay for her rent and for an operation which will help her see again, using the Millionaire's money. This, of course, does not go over too well once the Millionaire sobers up.

* NoNameGiven: For anyone in the cast, really.

* {{Isophagus}}: Chaplin swallows a whistle at one point, and whistles whenever he hiccups, attracting a taxicab and several dogs.

* DevelopmentHell: One reason why the film became the last great silent movie is that it took almost ''three years'' to produce, mainly due to Chaplin's relentless perfectionism.
* DeletedScene: A scene intended for the first reel involves the Tramp's repeated unsuccessful attempts to dislodge a piece of wood stuck in a street grating. From this simple idea, Chaplin created seven minutes of hilarity, before deciding it didn't fit in with the rest of the film. Fortunately the footage survived.

* DrivingADesk: A shot of Charlie and the millionaire in a car, arguing over who should be acrually driving it, while street scenery swiftly passes in the background

* DeletedScene: A scene intended for the first reel involves the Tramp's repeated unsuccessful attempts to push a piece of wood down a street grating. From this simple idea, Chaplin created seven minutes of hilarity, before deciding it didn't fit in with the rest of the film. Fortunately the footage survived.

* SpeakingSimlish: Though it's a silent film, the speech given at the beginning to dedicate a statue is [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments performed over a kazoo]], while the serenade at the Millionaire's party is performed by a trumpet with wa-wa mute. Knowing Chaplin, this is likely a TakeThat against the pressure for the Tramp to get with the times and make a 'talking' picture.

* TheTramp: But of course.

** This is easily lost on modern audiences, since without knowing about the dance, it's just a confusing scene where everyone stops the Tramp from protecting a woman.

* AgonyOfTheFeet: When the Millionaire drops a rock on the Tramp's foot. The Millionaire had tied the rock to his neck in order to drown himself. Also, when the Butler slams the door on the Tramp's foot.

Famous as a TroubledProduction which took two years, complicated by Chaplin's long bouts with WritersBlock, the hostile relationship between Chaplin and Cherrill (they couldn't stand each other), and Chaplin's nervousness at releasing a silent film after the rest of Hollywood had quit silent movies forever.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Creator/CharlieChaplin began shooting the film in 1928. Convinced that sound was just a passing fad, he decided to stick with his trademark pantomimic style. However, halfway through production he realized that the talkies weren't going away, so he shut down the film and tried to figure out how to incorporate sound.