The Kid is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written, produced,
directed and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as
his foundling baby, adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first
full-length film as a director (he had been a co-star in 1914's
Tillie's Punctured Romance). It was a huge success, and was the
second-highest-grossing film in 1921, behind The Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse. In 2011, The Kid was selected for preservation in the
United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as
being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Innovative in its combination of comedic and dramatic elements, The
Kid is widely considered one of the greatest films of the silent
era.An unmarried mother (Edna Purviance) leaves a charity hospital
with her newborn son; a short scene shows that the baby's apparent
artist father (Carl Miller) has lost interest in her. With much
anguish the mother abandons the child, placing him in an expensive
automobile, with a handwritten note: "Please love and care for this
orphan child". Two thieves steal the car and leave the baby in an
alley, where he is found by The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin). After some
slapstick attempts to hand the child off to various passersby, he
finds the note and his heart melts. He takes the boy home, names him
John and adjusts his household furniture for him. Meanwhile, the
mother has a change of heart and returns for her baby but she learns
that the car has been stolen and faints.Five years pass. The Kid
(Jackie Coogan) and the Tramp live in the same tiny room; they have
little money but much love. They support themselves in a minor scheme:
the Kid throws stones to break windows so that the Tramp, working as a
glazier, can earn money repairing them. Meanwhile, the mother has
become a wealthy actress. She does charity by giving presents to poor
children. By chance, the mother and the Kid cross paths, but of course
do not know each other.
directed and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as
his foundling baby, adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first
full-length film as a director (he had been a co-star in 1914's
Tillie's Punctured Romance). It was a huge success, and was the
second-highest-grossing film in 1921, behind The Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse. In 2011, The Kid was selected for preservation in the
United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as
being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Innovative in its combination of comedic and dramatic elements, The
Kid is widely considered one of the greatest films of the silent
era.An unmarried mother (Edna Purviance) leaves a charity hospital
with her newborn son; a short scene shows that the baby's apparent
artist father (Carl Miller) has lost interest in her. With much
anguish the mother abandons the child, placing him in an expensive
automobile, with a handwritten note: "Please love and care for this
orphan child". Two thieves steal the car and leave the baby in an
alley, where he is found by The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin). After some
slapstick attempts to hand the child off to various passersby, he
finds the note and his heart melts. He takes the boy home, names him
John and adjusts his household furniture for him. Meanwhile, the
mother has a change of heart and returns for her baby but she learns
that the car has been stolen and faints.Five years pass. The Kid
(Jackie Coogan) and the Tramp live in the same tiny room; they have
little money but much love. They support themselves in a minor scheme:
the Kid throws stones to break windows so that the Tramp, working as a
glazier, can earn money repairing them. Meanwhile, the mother has
become a wealthy actress. She does charity by giving presents to poor
children. By chance, the mother and the Kid cross paths, but of course
do not know each other.
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