It's easy to say this is my top pick among Charlie Chaplin’s films featuring the “Tramp,” as he finds himself at a circus and realizes he has a knack for making people laugh. We find this out after some trouble with the police, who believe he's a homeless person trained by someone like "Fagin," leads him to the circus tent where his actions bring waves of laughter. The ringmaster recognizes that he’s found something …

Sometimes when things get tough for me, I find comfort in remembering something I learned a long time ago: an oyster needs to be bothered by a grain of sand to eventually create a pearl. That thought always makes whatever I’m dealing with feel less overwhelming and helps me see past the immediate difficulties. Thinking about that idea, especially when considering the history of silent films, it strikes me that some o…