#4: The Kid (1921)

In an age where two and a half hours is the standard film length, a 50 minute film (even a silent one) is SO refreshing!  Honestly, I really liked this movie.  This is definitely my favorite Chaplin film that I've seen thus far.  The story is so simple yet so well put together.  A destitute woman with no financial means has a child.  She tries to do right by her child by giving him away to a wealthy family, leaving the child in the back seat of their limo.  The limo is stolen.  The thieves find the baby and dump it.  A tramp (using the old-folksy meaning not the modern one) finds the baby and raises it the best he knows how.  High jinks ensues before we get back to the inevitable reuniting of mother and child.  ALL IN UNDER AN HOUR.  I've seen more modern films that can barely tell a third of that in less than two hours.  Plus, Chaplin proves that you don't need sound to tell a great story.  Feature film should be about visuals anyway.  Bottom line... I highly recommend this one.