‘The Gold Rush': Charlie Chaplin's Mother Lode of Innovation

Wall Street Journal

20-06-2025

Charlie Chaplin was already an international celebrity and king of silent cinema when he made 'The Gold Rush,' his Klondike comedy adventure that had its premiere 100 years ago this month at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. But there was still a great deal riding on the production. His previous feature, 'A Woman of Paris' (1923), had failed at the box office, in no small part because Chaplin sidelined his beloved 'Little Tramp' (or 'the little fellow,' as he liked to call his alter ego) and mostly remained behind the camera. Lesson learned: This time Chaplin would pit his bowler-wearing underdog against the fiercest elements, from blizzards and starvation to outlaws, cads and a very persistent bear.
The resulting film remains a towering monument in the medium's history. 'The Gold Rush' is a work of innovation notable not just for Chaplin's mastery of extended comedic scenarios but also for the bold visual effects executed by Chaplin and his endlessly innovative director of photography, Roland Totheroh. Together they created a series of indelible illusions.