Fleeing from the factory, a young but miserable ramp, who struggles against finding a place for himself in the harsh world, where he faces abuse even in his work, so he flees to the street, where he meets a homeless girl, with whom he does his best to survive.
The picture is grand fun and sound entertainment, though silent. It's the old Chaplin at his best, looking at his best -- young, pathetic and a very funny guy.
the fact that it is one of Chaplin's great masterpieces is testament to both his artistic resilience in the face of industry change and the enduring power of great silent comedy.
The film as a whole means no more than Charlie Chaplin means. Nobody has ever been able to say what that is, but by the present showing it is something quite timeless and priceless, and more human than the best of alien words lugged in for definition.
The opening sequence in Chaplin's second Depression masterpiece, of the Tramp on the assembly line, is possibly his greatest slapstick encounter with the 20th century.