The Kid (1921 film) The Kid (1921 film) The Kid is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written by, produced by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length film as a director (he had been a co-star in 1914's "Tillie's Punctured Romance"). It was a huge success, and was the second-highest-grossing film in 1921, behind "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". In 2011, "The Kid" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Innovative in
Charlie Chaplin and machinery in the workplace would increase unemployment levels. It was these concerns that stimulated Chaplin to develop his new film. "Modern Times" was announced by Chaplin as "a satire on certain phases of our industrial life." Featuring the Tramp and Goddard as they endure the Great Depression, it took ten and a half months to film. Chaplin intended to use spoken dialogue but changed his mind during rehearsals. Like its predecessor, "Modern Times" employed sound effects but almost no speaking. Chaplin's performance of a gibberish song did, however, give the Tramp a voice for the only time on film.