one can argue that charlie chaplin write and direct and and star in great film than his neglected 1928 gem and the circus and his last fully silent film and which he also write with joseph plunkett and but one can not reasonably argue that he make a funny film while nor can one argue that the circus be not a great film itself . yet and critic and fan of chaplin and and even chaplin himself and long overlook this great film . the reason have more to do with the highly publicize divorce trial from lita grey that chaplin endure while film the feature over two year and as well a a host of other production disaster . chaplin be so paranoid he felt his wife would try to steal the film and so hide the negative . the film be not even mention in chaplin autobiography and nor be it screen in the year after it release and until and in 1970 and chaplin rereleased it with a new score that he compose . a a chaplin aficionado and i can state that no chaplin film go a long 69 minute and with such sustained laughter . there be more memorable gag in this one film than in any other film he make or perhaps anyone have make since and and it deservedly win him his first academy award at the first ceremony in 1929. it be a special award for versatility and genius in writing and acting and directing and and produce . obviously and these be the day before schlock like crash and brokeback mountain and monster and and titanic be consider great film and worthy of such award . yet and even have chaplin not bury the film in his vault for decade and the very fact that it be make between two of his great critical and financial success and the gold rush and city light and two indisputable silent film era masterpiece and may have fat the film to it nearly forget status anyway . a pure comedy and perhaps the only film that have as ceaseless a run of comic gag that all work be the 1960s all star comedy classic it a mad and mad and mad and mad world and but that film could lay no claim to great nor high art . perhaps the only downside to the circus or rather the dvd and be that it do not offer the original film from 1928 and replete with a silent film organ score say by the great silent organist rosa rio . instead and we only have the overwrought and and didactic musical score chaplin compose in 1970. his open rendition of the saccharine swing little girl and sung over the opening title and be plain bad both a music and a sung and but thankfully pass quickly . a with his unfortunate 1942 reissue of the gold rush with added narration and this music guide the audience too much and although the film main theme and i must admit and win you over at the end . fortunately and that film dvd come with both the 1942 reissue and the 1925 original which be superior . some artist never know when to leave greatness alone . even so and the circus be the purest and least flawed chaplin feature film ever make and in that it distill every single aspect of his greatness and and yes and even that grossly overused term genius . for anyone with a love of pure cinema and silent cinema and and it history and this film and dvd be a must to see and own . but and if you have heart problem and i advise you to be wary and because it be so funny it could literally hurt you . but wouldn not that be the best way to go .