Kid Auto Races At Venice

KID AUTO RACES AT VENICE

Director : Henry Lehrman

Year : 1914

Genre : Comedy 

Rating : ***1/2

 

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the first European cinematic appearance of Charlie Chaplin's beloved 'little tramp' character, which would not only bring fabulous wealth and fame to the budding English actor but  would also become one of the most enduring legacies in the history of the motion picture. While there are certainly those who deride Chaplin, it cannot be denied that his physical comedic genius and timing were exemplary and would prove to be more influential and more indelible than any other character in the 120 years that cinema has existed for. 'Kid Auto Races In Venice' may not be as technically impressive or as traditionally funny as some of his more famous works such as 'The Great Dictator' or 'Modern Times', but it still exhibits the embryonic signs and trademarks for what would become the iconic image of the silent cinema era.

Set at a bustling race course in Venice, Los Angeles, 'Kid Auto Races At Venice' tells the simple story of a cameraman's aggravation at a spectator who keeps walking into his perfectly aligned shots. At first the inquistive and vain man (who we now know as the little tramp)  just bothers him but as the film goes on, his reactions to the man's ignorance become more and more extreme until he is literally throwing the rude onlooker out of shot and into the crowd. As well as annoying the filmmaker, the little tramp begins to frustrate the other spectators due to his actions disturbing the race and everyone around him.

Mostly improvised on the set by Chaplin and fellow actor and director Henry Lehrman, 'Kid Auto Races At Venice' was shot at an actual racecourse in Los Angeles and this adds a level of realism and a sense of danger to the film (Chaplin was nearly hit a number of times during the filming by the speeding baby carts). The film was not the first that Chaplin made of his now iconic character as the superior 'Mabel's Strange Predicament' had been shot a couple of days earlier but due to timings and production errors, 'Kid Auto Races At Venice' was the first one to be publicly displayed to a paying audience. 1914 would prove to be a very busy but successful year for Chaplin with over 30 films produced and a number of awards won. 

At only 7 minutes in length, 'Kid Auto Races At Venice' is a very quick and very easy film to watch. Due it's age, it is available in the public domain and YouTube contains a number of beautifully restored prints of this now antique film, including a superb BFI copy which is definitely worth a look, if not just as a curious tidbit of cinema's history. As I say, the film may not be as funny or technically advanced as some of Chaplin's later works but for it's time, it's budget and it's production values, 'Kid Auto Races At Venice' is something of a milestone, demonstrating that a little can really can really go a long way.