☆ ☆ ☆ ½
The
Kid (1921) – C. Chaplin
I was a relative late-comer to Chaplin,
watching Buster Keaton films before I turned to Monsieur Verdoux (an atypical
late Chaplin, but great) and then City Lights, The Gold Rush, The Circus,
Modern Times, and The Great Dictator all in the last 10 years or so. And only now have I turned to The Kid. I suppose I steered away from Chaplin
generally and The Kid specifically because of his sentimental streak. To me, it seemed to weaken or cheapen a
film. (Verdoux, in contrast, is dark and
cold as ice). Of course, that meant that
it took me years to see and appreciate the amazing comic moments in all these
Chaplin movies. The Kid, which shows the
Tramp finding and raising young Jackie Cooper despite their poor circumstances,
does have an extra high quotient of sentimental moments relative to other
Chaplin films. The heartbroken mother
gives up her child; Charlie nearly loses Jackie to the workhouse/orphanage;
etc. But there are funny moments as well, perhaps not as funny as in the
subsequent features, but some good stuff (and a bizarre dream sequence in
Heaven). In the end, I’ve grown to
appreciate Chaplin’s genius, especially in the planning of the gags, but I
could still do without the schmaltz. (For what it is worth, this review is
based on a 50 minute version of the film, seemingly produced by Chaplin in 1971
with his own musical score; the music may have hurt the picture).
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