Jackie Coogan + a cranky junk dealer = silent era found family gold.
Tim Kelly is an orphan who runs away after his orphanage burns down. Presumed to be killed in the fire, he is able to roam the streets of New York freely. He meets Max Ginsberg, an old Jewish junk dealer with rheumatism, and the two strike a partnership and a close friendship.
Acting
Coogan's physical comedy rivals The Kid—more jokes, less tears.
Production
Authentic 1925 Lower East Side locations now long gone.
Director
Edward F. Cline
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Coogan was 11 during filming but already a veteran—The Kid made him a star at 7, and his career survived the scandal of his mother spending his fortune.
Max Davidson's Ginsberg was surprisingly sympathetic for 1925; Jewish characters in silent cinema were often caricatured, but this film gives him dignity and the best lines (via intertitles).
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