The Kid (1921, Charlie Chaplin)
When you watch a movie by (and starring) Charlie Chaplin, you can be sure of two things; it’s going to be funny, and it’s going to have a heart. At least that’s true of all his movies I’ve seen so far.
The story is a simple one. The titular kid (an adorable Jackie Coogan) is abandoned as a baby by his mother on the streets. The Tramp finds him and takes him home with him to raise the boy as his own. Together, they pull cons whereby the boy breaks windows which the Tramp then offers to fix for a fee. But events transpire that might take the boy away from his surrogate father.
Yet again, this movie is very short, and completely silent. And it’s an absolute delight to watch. There are gags to be sure, and the chemistry between the screen legend and the little boy is excellent. My favourite scene was the aforementioned window-breaking con, and a scene that follows later where the kid gets in a fight with another young boy. Both very funny scenes, and Jackie Coogan is positively disarming in his cuteness.
Add to that a charming story and a momentarily heartbreaking final reel, and this is a movie I can recommend to just about anyone.
Rate this movie:
(0 vote(s), average: 0 out of 5)You need to be a registered member to rate this post.