Lists
- ranked 160 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (March 2006)
- ranked 172 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (December 2006)
- ranked 181 in They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? 1000 Greatest Films (August 2005)
- one of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
- one of Rosenbaum's Alternate 100
- one of Slant Magazine 100 Essential Films
- one of The New York Times Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made
Business is a ruthless business
Amusing but preachy: like The Great Dictator, it functions largely -- and subtly as a brick to the head -- as Chaplin's soapbox.
In general, I agree with this review at the DVD Journal: it lacks the humour of the Ealing murder-comedies, Chaplin's directorial style is dated, and his skills as a polemicist are sorely lacking. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining ride; and even if, in the final analysis, Chaplin's philosophical arguments are rejected, they're worth hearing at least once.