The New York herald., 1921-02-07
Charlie Chaplin
Funnier Than Ever
in Own Nep Film
Produces 'The Kid After
Years Absence From Screen
Other Photo Plays.

In his year OF absence from the screen
Charlie Chaplin must have read ut least
one book. That was probably "Senti-
mental Tommy" for Chaplin's latest
comedy, ''The Kid" at the Strand yes
terday called to mind Sir James Barrie's
masterpiece OF the precocious tenement
yotmgster. with similar commingling
OF sentiment, humor and pathos. except
that in this instance Chaplin acted as
both father and mother to the waif he
found In spite of all the strenuous ef
forts OF the police to stop Aim.
This first product from the comedy,
king in a long, long time. which packed
the Strand yesterday IN record fashion
with throngs who seemed ravenous for
their Chaplin fare. seemed intended to
make up In length for the aching void
| that had once been regularly filled by
Chaplin, for its six reels were three
times as long as his ordinary comedies.
and the comic scenes were approximately
four times as funny. That was because
this film did. not suffer in its humorous
episodes, as have some of the earlier
pictures written and produced by Chap
lin. from those Ben-Ami pauses which
frequently riled the customers. Even
the lachrymose passages were commend
ably brisker and briefer, and one knew
that the artistic pathos wasn't bathos,
because the Chaplin feet never obtruded.
Some Highly Original Touches.
This release from the First National
Exhibitors has some highly original
touches, such as Chaplin's method OF
earning n livelihood as a glazier with
the help of his adopted boy who throws
stones with the sure aim Of 4 David, and
this kids fight with an older youngster
and the proud foster parents frantic
EFFORTS to make him lose 1t, so that the
father won't have his own complexion
knocked off by a rowdy. A good share
OF the success of the picture is due to
jackie Coogan. who for all the remark
able and unfeigned fidelity to childish
expressions as the founding Is still too
young to be spoiled from being paired
with Chaplin. This lad of five or six
would have made an admirable Senu-
mental Tommy at the age when Tommy
was clad In sexless garments.
The groundwork of the tale is con-
ventional enough-that of prima donna
who discovers eventually that the boy
was her own CASTOR child-and Miss
Edna Purviance never suggested grand
opera diva even when she wept spon-
taneously.. And Chaplin, who has now
reached the peak where he must be
treated as the chief feature of a pro-
gramnle, ought to be able to dispense
with one vulgar scene which mars the
new picture-at least a man with a
million dollars might afford to eliminate
such gutter buffoonery The picture, be-
sides being his most interesting and
versatile to date. also is his most human.
| the nnIv avfra hot gtr
| In ludicrous dream of heaven, at the
end of which Chaplin gives a most life
| like impression of a man who has been
suddenly shot down from the skies
Altogether the picture was we'll worth a
years wait.
A new scenic. Herbert's Princess Pat"
overture, n special prologue with the
Strand Male Quartet and q solo by
Eldora Stanford are other offspring of
the programme.
"Just Out OF College" at Capitol.
The Goldwyn version of George AIDES
story. "Just Out Of College" shown with
Jack Pickford at the Capitol yesterday,
| is pleasant to the view, its one fault
being that 1t came after "It Pays to
Advertise" Just as in that story, a
young graduate sets ont by devious ad-
vertising methods to foube in thirty
days the 100000 his prospective father
in-law gives to him. though his real
object - cinematographically enough
isn't the development of the pickle trade
but the winning of girl. Lack of good
acting by some Of the minor characters
fails to give piausibility to several In
cidents, and the honesty of the business
methods OF selling man his own pickles
under another label might raise frown
on college professors brow Mr. Pick
ford's work has its light comedy moments
OF interest-but It's dollars to pickles
George AIDE didn't write the titles.
Larry Semon in a new comedy cyclone.
The Sportsman and another engaging
Sport Pictorial, Leading Dogs Life"
edited by Grantland Rice, aer other
phases oof the hunt for laughter. An
orchestral rendition of Tschaikowsky's
"Nutcracker Suite" dances by Mile.
Gambarelli ands Alexander Oumansky
with the ballet corps, and "The Evolu-
tion of Dixie" by Like. with a tableau
Of the emancipation, are other contribu-
tlons to welfare work.
w. S. Hart In New Picture.
William s. Hart again is a strong.
silent man of the West in "O'Nralley OF
the Mounted" though this time In a
picture OF his own fabrication he dis
Nthit5 eic NAABo VI tit tOWPuHt4ltT anu
rolls his own for n change as a member
of the Canadian Royal Northwest
Mounted Police. However, he reverts to
his cowboy incarnation when seeking n
young murderer-as IL any one could
mistake Mr. Hart in the disguise of a
cowboy He trails his quarry first TO a
rodeo, and here are shown some typi-
cally Western scenes that are as thrill
ing as the fist fights and other stunts
concocted under the direction of Lam
bert HIllyer. The mounted cops shadow
ing leads to a camp of bandits and
smack up against thu sister OF the out
law. which naturally brings on one OF
those severe problems that can only be
solved in the movies with little gun
play. with a bank robbery in broad
daylight. as the police reports would
say. with Eva Novak holding UP tho
hero's heart, and with other stimulating
touches. this picture Is as good thriller
as Mr.. Hart has done lately--and OF
course his horse plays prominent par.
In support of him.
The final instalfnent OF the Para
mount t-Vandenbergh pictures OF Africa,
solo by Greek Evans and minuet
danced by Miss Ruth Page are other
numbers while the orchestra with the
sixth Hungarian Rhapsody" does It's
share 90 make the names of Liszt and
Tschalkowsky readily pronounced even