I will begin this review by giving a brief plot summary so you, the reader, have an impression of the goings on in the film if you haven't yet seen it. The film begins with a mother and her infant child. Very early on in the film the mother decides that she simply cannot care for the child, so she abandons it in the rear seat of an unoccupied car. The unoccupied car then because the partially unoccupied car and is subsequently stolen by car thieves. The thieves eventually take notice of the small child in the back seat and, in turn, they abandon it themselves in an alleyway. In this alley is where the iconic figure of Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character is presented and he eventually finds that he will have to be the one to care for the infant. Time lapses five years into the future and we find Chaplin and the child, which can now more accurately be referred to as a "kid", living together in a raggedy one bedroomed apartment. Chaplin's tramp is clearly presented as a surrogate father figure for the kid, and the two of them appear to coexist in a relationship that is both playful and loving. The rest of the movie unfolds after the stage is set as I just did for you. It is mostly instances of how the two paupers have to swindle there way into sources of income, and the misadventures that come along with it. The film was released in the year 1921. Releasing a film in this time period could be considered overly restricting by some individuals, considering that "talkies" had yet to be a staple of the medium. However, Chaplin absolutely encapsulates the melodrama of the story and expertly enables the story to be told through movement and design, rather than through dialogue. Chaplin's tramp character is the iconic image of Charlie Chaplin that everybody knows even if they have never seen one of his movies. Every aspect of the character from his attire (bowler hat, cane, small waist coat, large trousers and shoes) to his over exaggerated gestures make for an expressive performance that is both memorable and inevitably iconic. It is worth noting the charismatic performance of the kid as well. He is an excited young man that is clearly enjoying himself in the filmmaking process, and his relationship with Chaplin is quite endearing. The Kid is an exciting display of creativity that translates into iconic film. A scene that stands out is one in which Chaplin's tramp character is being chased along rooftops by a police officer, and another would be a dream sequence where characters throughout the streets have angel wings that can be purchased at a corner store. It is worth noting the impression that this film must have made upon audiences when it was first released. Even in modern times it comes across and a piece of utterly unique cinema, which is a testament to the acting and filmmaking genius that Charlie Chaplin had. I cannot recommend this movie enough to anyone that is interested in the history and progression of filmmaking as an art, or anyone that wants to lose themselves in a charming story about a man and his kid.

Charlie Chaplin and little Jackie Coogan are delightful in this film, which has a tramp (ahem, The Tramp) finding a baby who has been abandoned by its mother. There are several funny and endearing scenes, including the two of them running a scam whereby Coogan breaks windows by throwing rocks at them, runs off as fast as his little legs can carry him, and then Chaplin is Johnny-on-the-spot to repair them. Another has Coogan getting into a fight with another boy, leading to Chaplin getting into a fight with his (very large, seemingly padded) older brother. Things get sad and pull the heartstrings when the city comes to take Coogan away to an orphan asylum, and it's interesting that the film touches on the rights of an adoptive parent ("are you his father?").The extended dream sequence towards the end is strange and creative, and I was quite surprised to read later that Lita Grey, who plays the 'flirtatious angel' in that sequence, was only 12 years old at the time. Three years later, when Chaplin (aged 35) had an affair with her (if you call having sex with a 15 year old 'having an affair'), she got pregnant, and the pair married in Mexico. The marriage would only last four years, and Chaplin would divorce her amidst scandal and an enormous alimony payment. I digress. 'The Kid' is a charming film, though a little thin in its plot, and quite brisk at 53 minutes.

When you are about to watch a Charlie Chaplin movie your mind is set up for a comical yet dramatic roller coaster ride. I have watched several of Charlie's movies like the 1931 masterpiece 'City Lights' and the wonderful world of 'Modern Times'. You are hugely mistaken if you think movies of the past are superannuated. In fact, I used to think like that too until I watched City Lights. On the other hand, The Kid was released years before City Lights. It is not an overstatement to call Charlie a genius. The Kid, even being such an old movie, has a rich plot. One of the main characteristics of Charlie's films are the details. If we watch his movies carefully each and every scene have a grandeur of details. One example of a clever yet a powerful detail from the movie, for a 1921 movie, as I remember, was a scene when Charlie showed "the kid" to the women outside his house. The women asked Charlie the name of the kid. Charlie didn't knew the name. He would have told any random name but he didn't as he didn't knew if the kid was a boy or a girl. So, he goes into the house; checks; comes out and instantly tells the ladies "John". It takes some time to get all the jokes as we the people of 21st century are not used to silent comedy.The plot of The Kid is quiet simple but pretty effective for a 1921 movie. A depressed woman abandons her new born baby. A tramp (Charlie Chaplin) notices the baby and tries to find his mother but he can't. In the end he takes the baby to his home. The story then takes a leap of five years. The baby now helps the tramp in his day to day endeavors to earn money. The kid also helps him in the kitchen. There is a lot of humor content in this part of the story. Jackie Coogan did an outstanding job as the Kid. You don't expect much from a child artist but this little guy was beyond exceptional. After half an hour the story takes a dramatic turn and the kid fells sick. When the doctor comes to their house he notices that the tramp is not the real father of the kid. This information somehow gets to the City Orphanage. They try to take the kid away from the tramp but the tramp doesn't give up on the kid. He fights everyone for the kid. This part of the story shows the love that have been cultivated between the tramp and the kid in the last five years. The movie clearly shows how two people doesn't need to be kith and kin to care for each other.As for a movie nearly a century old one can't complain about the camera and sound effects. I could call the direction a fairly decent one but it's was more of a clever one than just being a simple one. The set direction was very impressive, 8/10 for that. Costume design was good too. If you are into entertainment and movies, this movie is a must watch for you. It's really interesting to see all the techniques used in the past to present a story. For others, I guarantee this movie won't disappoint you. We talk about movies like Godfather and Star Wars as timeless but these movies are not even half as old as Charlie Chaplin's movies. His movie has lasted the test of time and it always will. Charlie is dead but his movies surely are eternal.Overall I would rate the movie 9 out of 10.

This movie reminds me of The Pursuit of Happiness (2006). The only difference is the color of the movie, the duration, 95 years and the switch C. Chaplin/W. Smith. A miserable life for Chaplin here until he finds the baby - his new life. Happiness, in most of the cases, arrives easier to poor people because they know how to enjoy life with less. The trouble is that there are lots of mothers who still abandon their vulnerable children nowadays. And this movie is from 1921! It looks like plenty of parents did not watch this movie so that it could arrive to their hearts or feelings, and think twice the option of abandoning a child. But what kind of life does Chaplin has in the movie? Some dreadful clothes, a miserable room and a few pennies to eat some soup or cupcakes during the day? However, a child could always bring prosperity as it happens in The Kid. They seek for each other constantly and that is true love. It is understandable that a young mother could reach to the point to abandon a child, but what it is valuable in the movie is that after realising what she has committed, she gives charities to the penniless society. Since the encounter with the kid, Chaplin makes it easier to nourish, because we all know that life is better when you are positive, and moreover when you take it as a joke.