Modern Times and the Industrial Era

Released in 1936, Modern
Times, was written to mock the
current society. The movie,
starring Charlie Chaplin, may
have lacked major dialogue,
but it was still able to use actor
expression, occasional
subtitles, and sound effects to
express itself as a work of
satire. The plot drew attention
to the way employees were
being worked in factories and
the way employers saw their
employees, not as assets, but
instead as disposable parts of
a machine. Employees in this
‘modern day’ factory ran like well-oiled machines. At one point there was even a scene where Chaplin pretends to pour oil on his co-worker who seemed to know how to do his job better than even a machine could. Writers mocked society for going along with the puppetry of the work force at the time. The movie recognized that the companies were just looking for the newest, fastest ways of production without the care of the well-being of the working class, through the use of the meal machine. This new invention claimed to be able to feed employees as they work. After the failure of the machine it was clear that machines can’t replace humans, yet still the workers were treated like machines. Modern Times expressed critiques on industrial factories, women in the workplace, labor unions, and the ideal ‘American Dream.’
Factories often created pattern-like, obscure work habits for employees. In Chaplin’s case he was seen using two wrenches to tighten bolts, however this repetitive behavior caused him to have nervous ticks. These ticks caused him to end up in prison after “tightening the bolts” of several co-workers noses and women’s buttons. Oddly enough the life he developed in prison became much more enjoyable that his life in the work force. Once in prison, Chaplin, had no work to do, no employer he was looking to please, and no money he was looking to earn. He had a comfortable life with a roof over his head, meals provided to him, and a boss (the prison warden) who actually liked him. Throughout the film, Chaplin’s character constantly looked to go back to prison to seek a better life than the one he was going through. In doing this he took blame for crimes of others, which caused him to meet a woman he grew rather fond of.
Women were not introduced in this film until a few minutes in, and never played a major role. Women through out this film, as well as the industrial era, were seen as wives, daughters, and assistants to men. The few woman showed working were assistants or entertainers, playing side roles to the men that mattered. This critique was not a main feature of the movie, but instead it is an idea reflected and supported by the male-dominate cast. The main actress, Paulette Goddard, helped enforce the recipe for the ‘American Dream’ which was: a house, a family, and a bread-winning husband. Although receiving work for a short period herself, Goddard’s character constantly sought work for Chaplin. She made a home for them out of an abandoned shack and used her idea of a picture perfect couple to inspire the person she became. Chaplin, inspired by the same picture, worked to aim and afford a house to meet their expectations. His characters’ hardest triumph in finding work after life in prison was in the introduction of labor unions.
After experiencing the extreme life sentence of a working class citizen, many went on strike.                      Labor unions were formed in order for the working class to stand up to industries, and

voice their opinions as a whole. They wanted to be treated like people, and less like machines. Understanding that they needed money, they were willing to work, but just not under the conditions many experienced in factories. In one scene, Chaplin, after returning to the streets from prison, found himself unintentionally leading a protest of a labor union. Police separated protesters and imprisoned Chaplin for being the leader.
Modern Times held society accountable for their faults in the industrial revolution, by opening their eyes to the toxic economy the working class lived in. The film, although exaggerated, was not historically inaccurate and showcased problems society should avoid. Today, the ‘American Dream’ remains pretty much the same, but the working conditions to achieve this dream have improved dramatically.