The Kid Review: A Charlie Chaplin Classic

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As a challenge in 2024, I will be tackling all 100 of IMDB’s top 100 movies! The list can be found here. Starting from 100, I will be watching and reviewing every one, so stay tuned for a bunch of reviews across many genres and periods over the next few months. Coming in at #100, The Kid.

The Kid stars Charlie Chaplin in a black and white comedy, drama from 1921. The movie follows A Tramp, played by Charlie Chaplin, and The Child, played by Jackie Coogan, following The Child’s abandonment by his mother. The Tramp is forced to take the boy under his wing and raise the child as his own. For a 68-minute movie, the story and the premise are quite good. It’s simple, to the point, and funny along the way.

The movie mainly focuses on two time periods, one where The Child is a newborn, and one where The Child is around 5 years old. The Tramp finds himself in many humourous moments due to this child he has found, and the situational irony is great. The bond between the two characters grows quickly and The Tramp sees the young boy as his son.

The story is short but it’s to the point and well thought-out. The plot is filled with comedic moments that allow the plot to slow down without losing the audience. These moments create a connection between the audience and the characters, bringing laughter to the room without a line of dialogue. I enjoyed the ending and I felt the runtime was perfect. There are a few twists and turns, but it’s a relatively simple movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

One of the best parts of the ending, and the story as a whole is the lack of precise details. We have a simple story, some great acting, and some interesting characters, but without dialogue to fully flesh out the thoughts of our characters, a lot is left up to the imagination of the audience.

While you think Chaplin’s face is telling you one thing, a different person may see a different feeling based on their life experiences. It’s a style of cinema that really forces you to think about what you are watching, and it makes for a great talking point.

The potential for different meanings being seen by different groups is one of the reasons this movie is so endeared 103 years later. Add an ending that doesn’t totally slam the door on different possibilities, and you have a movie that could cause a wide variety of thoughts to occur.

I thought all three main characters and the surrounding cast were well-developed. Without any kind of voice audio, the movie is forced to use dramatic acting and facial expressions to tell the story and develop the characters. Having seen many movies where the plot does not develop even with expensive visuals and many lines, seeing a simple black-and-white film do such a great job was very impressive.

Although he doesn’t speak a word, I feel like I understand Chaplin’s character. His ability to bring the voiceless character to life using only his facial expressions and mannerisms is beyond impressive. The cinematography is very interesting, and it feels like a fine art that has been refined to create a pristine product with the tools and technology available at the time.

Although a lot is going on on-screen, the movie doesn’t ever feel confusing. It feels that the cast understands the medium they are working within, and they understand the methods required to properly tell the story. The acting across the board is very impressive, and the story is clear.

This era of film relies on acting more so than ever before because there is no story without physical acting. No lines to write, only proper action and direction to create a product that makes sense to the audience. It’s very impressive and I enjoyed the experience.

Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid is a wonderful movie that basks in emotion and simplicity. Although there is a deeper meaning to be gained from the story, it doesn’t have to be anything more than a 68-minute movie that tells a funny, interesting story without ever speaking a word. I don’t have a lot of experience with black-and-white films, but this movie really opened my eyes and I enjoyed the experience. The plot doesn’t have the jump that I usually enjoy in my movies, but it was still a great film all around. Coming in at #99, Amélie.