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14. Modern Times
Charlie Chaplin’s silent tragicomedy is about the age of soulless machines, the struggle of man against the system, and the endless quest for happiness. The protagonist constantly finds himself in ridiculous situations. Sometimes he gets away with it, but most of the time he gets punished. He eventually finds a partner, and together they attempt to survive a very difficult time in history.
In one of the final scenes, the main character gains and loses his voice for the first time. This marked the end of the silent film era. The film is one of Chaplin’s finest creations, and in 1989 it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.