After the 2011 silent movie “The Artist” recently won five Academy Awards, film fans may yearn for a legendary predecessor, and downtown Peoria’s nonprofit Apollo Theater is presenting one on Saturday, March 10: Charlie Chaplin’s “The Gold Rush.”
Written and directed by Chaplin, “The Gold Rush” focuses on his iconic character known as the “Little Tramp,” here searching for gold and romance in the Klondike in the mid-19th century. Typical for Chaplin’s greatest work, it’s at turns funny and tender.
Memorable bits featured in the 1925 gem include the pantomime sequence of eating a shoe, and the dance of the rolls. Co-starring Mack Swain, Georgia Hale and Tom Murray, “The Gold Rush” was added to the National Film Registry in 1992 and in 1998 was named one of Hollywood’s Top 100 motion pictures by the American Film Institute. The 85-minute comedy is silent but features a musical score – also written by Chaplin.
Show times at the Apollo are at 7:00 p.m. Donations are $5 and $4 for kids, students and seniors. For details call (309) 673-4343.
