The Gold Rush
ProductionUnited Artists
Premiere
26th June 1925
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre, Los Angeles.
Director
Charles Chaplin
Cast
Charles Chaplin (Lone Prospector)
Georgia Hale (Georgia)
Mack Swain (Big Jim McKay)
Tom Murray (Black Larson)
Malcolm Waite (Jack Cameron)
Scenario
Charlie, in familiar tramp costume, plays a lone prospector hoping to find his fortune during the Alaskan gold rush.
Out on the frozen wastes of the Klondyke, Charlie meets up with Big Jim McKay (on his way to register his find of a "mountain of gold") and bad guy, Black Larson. Together they survive the wind and snow, and starvation, before sending out Larson to find help, and food.
Larson, however, is wanted by the law, and after killing two men stumbles upon Big Jim's mountain of gold, and decides to leave the others to their fate.
Charlie and Big Jim are left in a remote cabin, and resort to eating a boot, in a classic comic scene.
When the weather improves, the two friends part and Jim finds his way back to his find, only to encounter Larson. They fight and Jim is knocked out. Larson leaves and falls to his death in the snow.
Charlie makes his way to the gold rush village and meets Georgia, a dance-hall girl. Charlie falls in love with her, but she makes fun of the little tramp. Georgia and her friends mockingly promise to visit Charlie on New Year's Eve, and Charlie makes elaborate preparations.
Of course, Georgia forgets all about the arrangement, and Charlie walks around the village looking for her. Georgia finally makes her way to Charlie's cabin and sees all the trouble he has gone to. She is moved by this and ashamed of her behaviour towards him.
However before she can see him again, Big Jim staggers into town and is reunited with his old pal. The blow from Black Larson has clouded his memory, and only Charlie can lead him back to his mountain of gold. They agree to share the gold and are soon both millionaires.
On board ship, on the way home, Charlie meets Georgia again. They kiss and Charlie asks her to marry him.
"And so it was, a happy ending".
