by Hal Erickson
synopsis
The Swedish Goranssons Pojke was inspired by Charlie Chaplin's The Kid (1920) -- and like the earlier film, was directed by its star, in this case Weyler Hildebrand. The story concerns the relationship between carefree junk dealer Goransson (Hildebrand) and an abandoned urchin named Pelle (Tom Olsson). Their blissful existence is shattered when Pelle's long-lost mother returns to claim the child. There's pathos and heartbreak aplenty before a happy ending can be realized, and while Hildebrand isn't precisely Chaplin, he strives to please. The film's English-language title was Goransson's Boy.
