The Kid
I saw the first part of “Andrei Rublev” but I will probably see the second only after the week is over. It turns out that my Gorp phase is currently being disrupted by another random phase in which I just realized that I am interested in surprisingly many Hulu films this week. Next week is full of awesome classics like “Solaris”, “Le salaire de la peur” and “La Jetée” I have seen, so the only film actually want to see is “The Virgin Spring”. I digress. I just had to see this film which I have known about ever since my childhood.
I have a hard time writing about this film, but oh it’s because I loved it so much. I have never expected myself to succumb to Charlie Chaplin’s simple and sentimental stories, but “The Kid” gets the better of me. Of course the story is predictable and happy, of course there is nothing deep about this story at all, of course it is calling to my very natural attraction to anything cute and touching. But what can I do? I wanted to cry at the orphanage scene. Tearful reunion! So great!
Sometimes a film is just amazing handicraft. “The Kid” has literally every typical Charlie Chaplin tramp element. A funny chase scene, an amusing fight scene (actually two) and finally a completely random but beautiful dream sequence which might not have contributed to the plot but just like Charlie Chaplin met his second wife on the set of this dream sequence, it was crucial in making the film so much better. It is enjoyable, creative and to me, appeared rather lovely than silly in the way it was summarizing humanity in “good” and “bad”.
Speaking of handicraft, I was amazed at how good the child was. I don’t think good child actors are a common thing (think about how even adults cannot act properly!) so whenever I see any, I am absolutely in awe. I adore Jean-Pierre Léaud, and I was especially impressed of the kids in “The Return” recently. It is the mini-tramp style and the acting of the child which puts this film above every other Charlie Chaplin film I have seen so far.
Overall, I think that all of Chaplin*s later films are astonishing, but I think I personally lean towards simply funny silent films without much of a political agenda. “The Kid” is definitely my favorite. Perhaps I am biased but I loved every second of it.