195. The Kid

The Kid (1921)

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Starring: Charlie Chaplin

Edna Purviance

Jackie Coogan

IMDb Rating: 8

My Rating: 9

"A picture with a smile... and perhaps a tear."

A young mother (Edna Purviance), knowing that she cannot take care of her new baby, drops him off in a fancy car with the hopes of a better life. The car that she drops the baby off in is soon stolen. Once the thieves find the baby they drop him off in an alley. A Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) is passing through the alley when he finds the baby. Although skeptical at first, he eventually takes the baby home and raises it as his own.

Five years later, the Tramp and the Kid (Jackie Coogan) are living together much like father and son. Although, sometimes it is difficult to tell which one is filling which role. Together the two scam the locals with a window washing repair service to put food on their table. At the same time, the mother of the kid has become a famous theater actress and does charity work in hopes of finding her former child. Soon the paths of the woman, the Tramp, and the Kid cross setting up an almost inevitable reunion.

Writer, director, and star Charlie Chaplin has crafted such a simple story, it's difficult to believe that so much can be taken from it. It's moments of physical comedy are absolutely hilarious. There is no doubt when you are watching the Tramp run away from a fight with a local brute that a true comic genius is at work. The film also has a way of capturing your heart. I am not sure if it is the gentle banter between the Kid and the Tramp, or just it's simple message of love no matter what blood might run through your veins. Either way, this film steals your laughs, just as much as it does the same with your heart.

This was honestly the first time I remember watching a Charlie Chaplin film. I might have seen a few when I was younger, but none actually come to mind. Part of why I took on this project is so that I could experience films I might not normally give a chance to. When I finish the 250, this is one of those films I plan on going back and watching again. I found myself filled with joy throughout the entire film. The "wholesome comedy" is truly a lost genre in today's film scene. I enjoy a dirty joke just as much as the next guy, but it was Bill Cosby who said, "too much swearing for a performer is like dropping your pants, how do you up the ante?" In a film like The Kid there is no need to up the ante. It's equal blend of physical comedy keeps the viewer satisfied and pleased until well after the credits have passed.