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The Kid

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100% Tomatometer 48 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Chaplin's first full-length feature is a silent masterpiece about a little tramp who discovers a little orphan and brings him up but is left desolate when the orphanage reclaims him. Chaplin directed, produced and starred in the film, as well as composed the score.
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The Kid

The Kid

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Critics Consensus

Charles Chaplin' irascible Tramp is given able support from Jackie Coogan as The Kid in this slapstick masterpiece, balancing the guffaws with moments of disarming poignancy.

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Critics Reviews

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Grace Kingsley Los Angeles Times 06/25/2021
There's really no classifying The Kid. The best one can do is say that it has all the old melodramatic material, but so jazzed up with fun and with its drama so simply and humanly played, that it almost fools you into believing it is like life. Go to Full Review Mabel McElliott New York Daily News 05/17/2021
Jackie, legging it madly 'cross corners, is almost as good for box office purposes as our own Charles, playing the Artful Dodger to a Bowery bum. Go to Full Review Times (UK) Staff The Times (UK) 08/05/2020
Formerly it was the custom to say that Mr. Chaplin played down to the level of his audiences. Now it is to be hoped that he will lift his audiences up to this new level of his own. Go to Full Review Carl Sandburg Chicago Daily News 03/28/2022
Those constant contenders who maintain that Charlie Chaplin is the master mummer of the movies and the world's greatest actor, either in the silent or the spoken drama, now have another exhibit to put forward in behalf of their argument. Go to Full Review Robert E. Sherwood LIFE 10/04/2021
Chaplin, as always, demonstrates the marvelous quality which, in the cinema world, is so exclusively his own -- the ability to be coarse without being offensive; to mix Rabelaisian wit with Chesterfieldian delicacy. Go to Full Review John McDonald Australian Financial Review 08/01/2021
The Kid was a breakthrough for Chaplin and for the industry in the way it combined slapstick comedy with the kind of drama that touched viewers' hearts. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Marce S Sep 13 A beautiful and sweat Charlie Chaplin movie. The movies melancholy however makes it somewhat less rewatchable than other Chaplin movies See more Julian Rex M @Julian_M Aug 10 Perhaps not quite hitting the silly-sentimental stride as confidently as some of Charlie Chaplin's later work, The Kid is still a charming, thought-provoking, and technically dazzling outing that still holds plenty of comedic heft even a century later. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 7 Failure in 1 hour, due to the lack in sound and action!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more john h Jun 5 A great starter for any beginning Chaplin fans. The Kid holds up as an important piece of comedy even 100 years later, it is an absolute must-see that will shift anyone's disinterest in silent cinema. See more May 23 The Tramp Jr. Charlie Chaplin’s first feature-length film combines the physical comedy of his short films with an emotional narrative, giving it the perfect blend of humor and heart. Being one of the most important individuals in silent cinema, Chaplin’s debut full-length film was destined to be pivotal for the industry; however, it has also remained a touching and timeless work. Chaplin is at the center of the film, starring in, writing and directing this early physical-comedy-packed picture. Jackie Coogan delivers one of the all-time best performances by a child actor as the titled character in “The Kid”. This film is a great introduction to Chaplin and silent films in general. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Mar 3 An excellent classic by Chaplin. It is funny and heartwarming. Must watch. See more Read all reviews
The Kid

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Cast & Crew

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Charlie Chaplin

Director

Charlie Chaplin

A Tramp

Jackie Coogan

The Kid

Edna Purviance

The Woman

Carl Miller

The Man

Granville Redmond

The Man's Friend (uncredited)

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The Kid

The Kid (1921) The Kid (1921) The Kid (1921) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Chaplin's first full-length feature is a silent masterpiece about a little tramp who discovers a little orphan and brings him up but is left desolate when the orphanage reclaims him. Chaplin directed, produced and starred in the film, as well as composed the score.
Director
Charlie Chaplin
Producer
Charlie Chaplin
Screenwriter
Charlie Chaplin
Production Co
Charles Chaplin Productions
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 21, 1921, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 2, 2016
Runtime
1h 0m
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