Charlie Chaplin plays a nameless lone prospector who travels to Alaska during the 1890s gold rush. During his travel, he runs into a blizzard and seeks refuge in a cabin with two other odd fellows, Jim and Larsen. Once the storm passes, he travels to the town near the Klondike gold region. The prospector meets a dance hall girl named Georgia and falls in love. Vowing to return a millionaire, he sets off with Jim to find the cabin where a gold deposit is near.

From the Charlie Chaplin films I have seen over the years, I think this was his weaker one. Chaplin was an extraordinarily talented savant of films. He wrote, directed, acted, edited, produced, and wrote the music in most of his films. I don’t know anyone else who was as versatile from film history. Plenty directed and starred in their own film, but that’s the extent. Nobody else did everything and certainly not to the degree Chaplin did throughout his career.

Would I recommend it? I don’t think it’s a must-watch. However, it’s one of the earliest full-feature films and a cinematic experience. Silent films are not watched much anymore, but there is something that transcends time: acting. There is no sound, so everything is about the acting. Acting out things like comedy with no spoken words while still making your audience laugh is a daunting task. Chaplin was the master with his legendary miming skills, body language, and facial expressions.