The Kid (1950)

The Kid Poster
Original Title: 細路祥

A 10-year-old Bruce Lee stars as Kid Cheung, an orphan boy who sells comics in a little stall in the slums to survive. He and his two siblings are looked after by his Uncle Ho, a teacher. When the wealthy Hung Pak-ho surveys the slums to build a school for orphans, he is robbed by the vicious Blade Lee and his gang. Cheung helps Blade Lee escape and earns his friendship, but Uncle Ho convinces him to return the gold necklace Lee stole. Hung rewards Ho by hiring him as his private secretary.

Title: The Kid (1950)

Summary:
"The Kid" is a 1950 American drama film directed by Charlie Chaplin. The film initially premiered in 1921 and was the 2nd highest-grossing movie that year. It is often considered one of Chaplin's finest accomplishments on the planet of cinema, owing to its skillful blend of funny and drama.

Plot:
The story unfolds as an unwed lady (Edna Purviance) abandons her newborn in the back of a limousine with a heart-wrenching note, hoping that the child will have a much better life with the cars and truck's wealthy owner. However, hapless fate intervenes, as the cars and truck is taken and the burglar, discovering the baby, leaves him in an alley. Here, the baby is found by a good-natured tramp (Charlie Chaplin), who, after some comic efforts to unload the kid, lastly embraces him.

Characters & Development:
Five years pass, and the audience is presented to an unique father-son bond in between the kid (Jackie Coogan) and the tramp. They have created a fraud where the kid walks around breaking windows, and the tramp will follow, offering his window repair work services. However, their idyllic life is rocked when the Kid falls ill, and a doctor discovers the tramp is not his biological dad, changing their lives into an emotional whirlwind.

Discovery & Climax:
Adversity tests their bond when well-being officers attempt to separate the set and take the Kid to an orphanage. After a heart-wrenching chase and escape series, the tramp recovers the kid. Simultaneously, the Kid's biological mother, now a popular singer, discovers of his existence and wrong place. She ventures out, wanting to find him and bring him back.

Conclusion:
The mom encounters the unconscious tramp and the Kid in a dream sequence and realizes that the Kid is undoubtedly her kid. In a twist of fate, the kid and his mother unite, and the tramp wakes up alone, only to discover himself rewarded by the cops for earlier actions. The movie concludes on a confident note, with the mom and son eventually taking the despondent tramp into their home, reassuring the audiences of a promising future.

Significance:
Apart from its tear-jerking story, "The Kid" is remembered for its excellent performances and noteworthy mix of funny and drama. Chaplin's efficiency is effortless, showing his comedic prowess without weakening the film's emotional layers. Jackie Coogan, playing the Kid, provides an amazing efficiency, making the character relatable and charming. The film is extensively acknowledged for its standalone comic scenes, which are not mere components of humor however important pieces driving the narrative.

In conclusion, "The Kid" holds sublime and timeless appeal. Its narrative strolls a fine line between satire and sentimentality, making it a cinematic work of art in Chaplin's stellar collection. While it delivers laughs through its comic elements, it does not avoid diving deep into the grim realities surrounding hardship, highlighting the deep-rooted class divide in society. A poignant story about the joys and difficulties of being a parent, neatly stitched with Chaplin's signature humor, "The Kid" has actually appropriately earned its location in movie theater history.

Top Cast

  • Bruce Lee (small)
    Bruce Lee
    Kid Cheung
  • Chau-shui Yee
    Uncle Ho
  • Lee Hoi-Chuen
  • Chan Lap-Ban (small)
    Chan Lap-Ban
  • Wai-Yu Chan
  • Chow Chi-Sing
  • So-Po Fung
  • Luquan Gao
  • Ko Chiu-Lam
  • Fung Fung