The Kid

Charlie Chaplin was already an undisputed master of the short comedy form when he made the leap to feature filmmaking with The Kid, a short 1921 feature that combines his style of slapstick comedy with pathos and heart-tugging sentimentality. "A comedy with a smile—and perhaps a tear," read the opening titles, announcing Chaplin's shift into more emotionally-grounded films. Jackie Coogan is the kid of the title, the abandoned illegitimate child of an unmarried woman (Edna Purviance), and the spunky actor proves a spirited match for Chaplin's familiar Tramp both in comedy and pathos. The Tramp walked a fine line between chaotic force and lovesick fool in his short comedies but was never particularly sentimental or generous. The Kid gives Chaplin's signature character much greater depth, evolving from scruffy street survivor to reluctant protector to acting as a committed father to the sweet young tyke. The scene where the police try to take the kid away from his loving but impoverished life in the slums is indeed moving, in large part due to the impassioned emoting of Coogan, who almost steals the show from Chaplin with his charisma and wide-eyed innocence. Almost: Chaplin was the biggest movie star in the world when he made The Kid and here he delivers brilliant slapstick sequences that are as graceful and inventive as they are funny. Remastered in 4K and edited to match Chaplin's 1972 re-release (with Chaplin's original score), extras include audio commentary by Chaplin historian Charles Maland, featurettes, archival interviews, deleted scenes, a 1922 short with Chaplin and Coogan, and an essay by film scholar Tom Gunning. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)