Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times, was suppose to be his first film that really incorporated sound and voice, but instead he found a way to cleverly use sound, while still having the same effect as a silent film. He felt deeply that sound and talk would compromise the wit and entertainment that he was trying to get across while using the Tramp. Many people thought that if he was going to incorporate sound and voice that he would have to retire the character of the Tramp. The only voices that are heard in the movie videophones from the factory Presidents office, the radio in the head of the Prison's office, the singers in the restaurant and there are also a few sound effects. But, Charlie Chaplin, in this new stage of technology and people coming out with films with sound, really wanted to make a point. Personally, I found him to be very effective. He found a unique way to bring up some very serious issues, such as The Depression, advanced technology, and machines/automation while still being extremely humorous.
The first time we see him, it is as a factory worker. He works very hard but feels that the job is extremely unreasonable but continues to try and keep up anyway. He continuously messes up, even though he is going as fast as humanly possible. He begins to get very agitated. Eventually, he is driven completely insane by his job of tightening gears. It gets so bad that he jokingly becomes a human machine. His arm continues to rotate as if he was tightening the bolts even when he isn't working or on a break. I think this routine truly tries to show how he believes that even thought machines and automation were advancing that some people rushed the advances. .
In another skit, Charlie's slave driven boss decides to test out a machine that is used to feed all of his workers while leaving their hands free. This whole machine is made so that it will cut down the time that the workers will have to break and eat.