The Kid

1921, USA, Charles Chaplin, 68 min.

Introduced by OYL artistic director Ianthe Demos.

“A comedy with a smile–and perhaps a tear” reads the opening title of this 1921 silent film classic written, directed, acted, and scored by Charlie Chaplin. Widely considered one of the greatest films of the silent era, The Kid tells the story of the unlikely relationship formed between a tramp and an abandoned baby boy who grows up to become his young partner in crime. This film marked the screen debut of Jackie Coogan, who later became an American household name as Uncle Fester in the 1960’s sitcom The Addams Family. Whether the creative desire to film a retelling of his own childhood struck Chaplin the moment he signed Coogan, or whether his path to inspiration followed a more subtle evolution, Chaplin soon found himself filming his own youth.

Cabaret Cinema: Emotions/Emoticons
As a companion to the Brainwave series, Cabaret Cinema will screen nine classic films that are driven by nine emotions. Notable introducers will help the audience to understand the importance of the given emotion to the film’s narrative.

Emotion: Sadness