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it exceeded any of their other films' income. The film grossed about $2,500,000. Sharing seventy-thirty on the gross, Chaplin himself profited well over a million.
"The Kid" was an overwhelming critical as well as boxoffice success. Critics hailed it as equal to, "in some ways better" than, or almost as good as "Shoulder Arms," for many years the critical yardstick for Chaplin films. Here and there critics, or some self-elected representatives of the public, found two or three scenes "vulgar" or in "bad taste." Audiences, in general, welcomed it for something refreshingly different which they found both entertaining and heartwarming — though some few missed the old Chaplin knockabout clowning.
With "The Kid," after his comparatively long screen absence and his two "failures," Chaplin regained and strengthened his position.
"The Kid" is almost straight drama and Chaplin is more the dramatic actor and less the clown than ever before. The laughs rise mostly from situation and pantomime rather than slapstick and horseplay. The plot is well worked out and the dramatic situations are handled realistically in the manner foreshadowed by "The Vagabond" and "A Dog's Life." No characters are played as caricatures with the exception of the Bully.
Jackie Coogan made a great personal hit and was hailed as the best child actor yet seen on the screen. Endowed with naturally expressive features and profiting from Chaplin's coaching, he became adept in screen pantomime, playing his light scenes with Chaplinesque zest and the emotional scenes with wonderful feeling. For this film Jackie Coogan deserves equal honors with the star; each scene together belongs equally to both. In fact, his performance here was not equaled until Jackie Cooper's "Skippy" (1931). "The Kid" launched Jackie Coogan on a phenomenally successful career. "Peck's Bad Boy," "Trouble," "Oliver Twist," "Circus Days," "Long Live