There may be no more singular icon of resilience in the world of cinema than Charlie Chaplin. So this year, for the sixth film in our Resilience Film Series, we will be showing Chaplin’s 1921 classic, The Kid. This is the third year in a row we will have had the pleasure of including the comic genius in our series: The Kid, Chaplin’s first feature-length film (just under an hour), will be shown on Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. in Stark Hall, Miller Auditorium. Everybody is welcome–this is an all-ages-appropriate film–and admission is free!
The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) and the Kid (Jackie Coogan) peek around a corner.
In The Kid, Chaplin’s iconic Tramp character discovers a newborn baby abandoned by his mother. After a series of attempts to discard the newborn, the Tramp reluctantly takes him in and raises him as his own. But that’s not the end of the story, as their newfound bond is threatened.
Like so many of Chaplin’s films, The Kid demonstrates the incredible resilience of the character of the Tramp. He finds himself in a difficult position when he discovers the newborn baby as by no means does he have the wherewithal to raise a child. However, as the narrative progresses, we see that the Kid and the Tramp make a good team and they work together to make ends meet. Like our most recent film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Kid is a story of overcoming adversity through companionship–and, of course, through resilience.
The tramp and the kid share some pancakes.
As charming and humorous as this film is, though, it’s not just a piece of fiction Chaplin worked up for box-office receipts. The Kid is very much a reflection and commentary on the adverse childhood experiences (even if no one called them that then) Chaplin experienced first-hand in his own life. Little Charlie grew up in a poor family and did not have the parental guidance one would hope for. When he was just nine years old, his mother was committed to an asylum. Two years later, his father, a heavy drinker who was absent for most of Charlie’s life, died. And shortly before filming The Kid, Chaplin was dealing with a messy divorce and the death of his newborn child.
The emotional consequences of having grown up without his parents and losing his firstborn child stuck with Chaplin and greatly influenced his work. He was, first and foremost, a comic actor-director, but his best work often follows from the challenges he faced when young, giving films like The Kid an emotional depth unparalleled among his peers. The Kid speaks to that father-child connection that little Charlie was eager for but never had.
The kid cries as he is taken away from the tramp.
The Kid shows Chaplin at a turning point in his career, proving to the world that he was not just a vaudevillian comic but a serious film director. It’s also an expressive masterpiece of silent cinema. Released in 1921, The Kid was Chaplin’s first full-length feature, and not only did Chaplin star in the film, but he also wrote, directed, and produced it–and composed its most famous musical accompaniment. As a result, The Kid is considered one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. In 2011, The Kid was selected to be preserved in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry. It’s also received a rare 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is one of the first films to combine elements of comedy and drama. The opening title says it all: “A picture with a smile–and perhaps, a tear”.
The Kid is showing on Sunday, October 21, 2018 at 3 pm in Miller Auditorium (Stark 103) on the Winona State University Campus. Admission is free and open to all. Hope to see you there!
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