Why is Modern Times considered the last major silent film from Hollywood?

Modern Times (1936) is considered the last major silent film from Hollywood primarily because of Charlie Chaplin’s stubborn resistance to the industry-wide transition to "talkies" that had taken hold by the early 1930s.12

While the rest of the American film industry had fully converted to sound by the mid-1930s to capitalize on the popularity of dialogue-driven features, Chaplin remained committed to the art of pantomime. Although Modern Times was technically a hybrid—incorporating a musical score, sound effects, and brief passages of dialogue, including a gibberish song performed by Chaplin—it functioned essentially as a silent film.321

By maintaining this stylistic choice long after the industry had moved on, Chaplin preserved the silent film tradition in his work. Modern Times stands as a significant historical marker, not only as the last silent feature to emerge from Hollywood but also as the final performance of his iconic "Little Tramp" character.2