The Kid (1921)

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (writer)

Release Date:

6 February 1921 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Tagline:

This is the great film he has been working on for a whole year

Plot:

The Tramp cares for an abandoned child, but events put that relationship in jeopardy.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Orphan | Foundling | Broken Window | Angel

Cast

Carl Miller	...	The Man
Edna Purviance	...	The Woman
Jackie Coogan	...	The Kid (as Jack Coogan)
Charles Chaplin	...	A Tramp (as Charlie Chaplin)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Albert Austin	...	Man in shelter (uncredited)
Beulah Bains	...	Bride (uncredited)
Nellie Bly Baker	...	Slum nurse (uncredited)
Henry Bergman	...	Night shelter keeper (uncredited)
F. Blinn	...	His assistant (uncredited)
Kitty Bradbury	...	Bride's mother (uncredited)
Frank Campeau	...	Welfare officer (uncredited)
Bliss Chevalier	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Frances Cochran	...	Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
Elsie Codd	...	Extra in alley scene (uncredited)
Jack Coogan Sr.	...	Pickpocket / Guest / Devil (uncredited)
Estelle Cook	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Lillian Crane	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Dan Dillon	...	Bum (uncredited)
Philip D'Oench	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Robert Dunbar	...	Bridegroom (uncredited)
Florette Faulkner	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Rupert Franklin	...	Bride's father / Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
Sadie Gordon	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Lita Grey	...	Flirtatious Angel (uncredited)
Frank Hale	...	Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
Martha Hall	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Jules Hanft	...	Physician (uncredited)
Louise Hathaway	...	Extra in alley scene (uncredited)
Silas Hathaway	...	The Kid as a baby (uncredited)
Flora Howard	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Ed Hunt	...	Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
Lulu Jenks	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Irene Jennings	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Kathleen Kay	...	Maid (uncredited)
Grace Keller	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Sarah Kernan	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Raymond Lee	...	His kid brother (uncredited)
Walter Lynch	...	Tough cop (uncredited)
V. Madison	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Clyde McAtee	...	Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
John McKinnon	...	Chief of Police (uncredited)
Ethel O'Neil	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Lew Parker	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Charles I. Pierce	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Laura Pollard	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Evans Quirk	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
Esther Ralston	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
Granville Redmond	...	The Man's friend (uncredited)
Charles Reisner	...	Bully (uncredited)
Henry Roser	...	Extra in heaven scene (uncredited)
J.B. Russell	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)
George V. Sheldon	...	Extra in reception scene (uncredited)
Edgar Sherrod	...	Priest (uncredited)
Elsie Sindora	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Minnie Stearns	...	Fierce woman (uncredited)
Mother Vinot	...	Extra in alley scene (uncredited)
May White	...	Edna's maid (uncredited)
S.D. Wilcox	...	Cop (uncredited)
Baby Wilson	...	Baby in carriage (uncredited)
Edith Wilson	...	Lady with baby carriage (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Amanda Yanez	...	Extra in alley scene (uncredited)
Baby Yanez	...	Extra in alley scene (uncredited)
Elsie Young	...	Extra in wedding scene (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Chaplin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Charles Chaplin		writer

Produced by
Charles Chaplin	....	producer

Cinematography by
Roland Totheroh		(as R.H. Totheroh)

Film Editing by
Charles Chaplin		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Charles D. Hall

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Powolny	....	assistant director
A. Edward Sutherland	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Wilson	....	second camera operator
H. Wenger	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mother Vinot	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Music Department
Eric James	....	music associate (1971 release)
Eric Rogers	....	musical director (1971 re-release)
Eric Rogers	....	orchestrator (1971 re-release)

Transportation Department
Toraichi Kono	....	driver: Mr. Chaplin (uncredited)

Other crew
Charles Reisner	....	associate director
Nellie Bly Baker	....	secretary: Mr. Chaplin (uncredited)
Elsie Codd	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Tom Harrington	....	assistant: Mr. Chaplin (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charles Chaplin Productions

Distributors

• First National Pictures (1921) (USA) (theatrical)
• MK2 Diffusion (2001) (worldwide) (all media)
• Max Glücksmann (1921) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Western Import Co. (1922) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (1923) (Germany) (theatrical)
• D.U.K. Films (1957) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Koch Vision (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (USA) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Adams Filmi (1978) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Suomi-Filmi (1957) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Viihde-Kuva (1982) (Finland) (theatrical) (16 mm)
• Continental Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Vivarto (2008) (Poland) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2001) (Finland) (TV) (TV1)

Runtime:

68 min | 50 min (1971 edit with new Chaplin score) | Germany:54 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (new music score) (1971) | Silent

Certification:

Spain:T | Portugal:M/6 | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Denmark:7 (2003) | Norway:A | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | West Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Chaplin Studios - 1416 N. La Brea Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Charles Chaplin Productions

Trivia:

For the scene in which the Kid is taken from the Tramp and nearly carted away to a workhouse, Charles Chaplin stated in his autobiography that the young Jackie Coogan was made to cry by his father, who told him that if he would not cry in the scene, he would be sent to an actual workhouse.

Goofs:

Continuity: When both the Tramp and the kid are chased by the policeman, the kid loses his cap which falls to the ground in the yard before he could enter in his home. Still, when he is seen inside, he has got his cap back upon his head.

Movie Connections:

Featured in L'appartement (1996)

There are no words to phraise this movie enough

It is hard to find such delightful and adorable movies these days as "The Kid". It is a silent movie but so rich, winning and beautiful that you don´t nead words. Chaplin and 6-year old Coogan are possibly the most charming pair I have ever seen in my life. The film succees to be nicely light and full of joy but also overwhelmingly sad and sentimental. I always get my eyes full with tears of saddness and happiness. And I really never cry in movies. And the music...its simply Oscar-level! The movie is sympathetic, full of feeling, touchingly funny moments. It is truly a masterpiece showing how extraordinary talented person Charlie Chaplin was considering this film is respectively over 80 years old! So don´t you miss it because of it´s age, don´t miss it.