Best performance by a child in a film

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Mary_Gail_36

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The other night I re-watched (after many years) the classic Italian film, “Ladri di Biciclette” or In English, The Bicycle Thief.

I was really moved by the performance of the young son. Here is a clip (it features the end scene, so if you haven’t seen the film, feel free to skip it) It’s narrated by Martin Scorsese.

youtube.com/watch?v=ho4nBIX0_PI

So, which films do you think featured great acting by a child?
 
Two excellent examples of child actors that immediately come to mind are Asa Butterfield and Chloe Grace Moretz in Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo”.

Unlike many child protagonists featured in family movies, their characters are portrayed as highly intelligent, literate, and mature. To quote from Roger Ebert’s review of the movie: “These two bright kids are miles apart from the cute little pint-sized goofballs in most family pictures.”

That movie was amazing…I just loved its1930s Paris setting and its salute to early film (I’m a bit of an early film enthusiast). But those two child actors really helped with the magic of that movie. 😃
 
Mary Badham playing Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird” with Gregory Peck
The “Sound of Music” kids (my favorite movie)

Dakota Fanning - she’s grown up now
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson in the Harry Potter movies
Asa Butterfield is good
Others I can’t recollect at the moment

Yesterday I watched the 2nd “Nanny McPhee” movie; Asa Butterfield was in that one. The kids were generally good actors. However, one thing I just cringe at in movies with children is how the script writers and directors are coming to rely more and more on loud shrieking and rowdiness to convey either fright or naughtiness instead of getting kids to really act. I still enjoyed that one, though, once the shrieking stopped. 😛

Furthermore, I have completely lost my taste for sappy kids movies in which I’m supposed to be moved to tears by the character a kid actor plays who is (the character, that is) - a misfit/meanie/child whose parents are divorcing/whatever who finds a misfit/injured/unwanted dog/horse/badger/whatever and whines his or her little head off until Mummy and/or Daddy grudgingly let the kid keep it but then it misbehaves/gets sick/runs away/is taken to the pound by the parent(s) and the kid then goes on a Holy Grail intense quest to be reunited with and then somehow that brings everybody together to hug and pontificate (in case any viewer is thick enough to have missed the message) on what life lessons they learned etc. ad nauseum. Heartwarming = cloying to me, I know these types of movies are touted as family movies because they’re clean, but I think they should also have to be genuinely good. :twocents: 🍿 :tiphat:
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I never realized Christian Bale was a child actor.
Click to expand...
I didn’t either. My family was watching the movie the other night and I did a double take. I asked “is that christian bale?”.
They said it was. Now I learn heath ledger was in the same movie!
That was a good movie by the way.

I thought Hayley Mills was a good child actor. Also Patty Duke in the Miracle Worker. Natalie Wood and Margaret O’Brien.
The little girl who played Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Elizabeth Taylor.
There were many good child dramatic actors in the 40’s and 50’s and 60’s.
 
KevinAK said:
You should also check out his performances in Kenneth Brannagh’s Henry V and Frasier Heston’s Treasure Island.
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I can’t remember him in Henry V, but Treasure Island is amazing. Beautiful locations, great acting, amazing music by The Chieftains. 👍
 
Ralphie in “A Christmas Story”
Macauley Culkin in “Home Alone”
Haley Joel Osmont in “The Sixth Sense”
 
Whether best or not, did you know Johnny Galecki who plays Leonard in “The Big Bang Theory” was in the movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” playing the son of Chevy Chase? 😃
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
The other night I re-watched (after many years) the classic Italian film, “Ladri di Biciclette” or In English, The Bicycle Thief.

I was really moved by the performance of the young son. Here is a clip (it features the end scene, so if you haven’t seen the film, feel free to skip it) It’s narrated by Martin Scorsese.

youtube.com/watch?v=ho4nBIX0_PI

So, which films do you think featured great acting by a child?
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for the clip Mary Gail. What a little trouper! Superb performance.

I’ll have to get his name … and see if he did any MORE acting. I don’t remember seeing him again that I can remember. But 👍
 
I don’t know if she has been mentioned but shirley temple was a great child actress for many years!
 
Without a doubt, Henry Thomas in ET is
the best performance I’ve ever seen by a child in any film.

His 100% believable, real, relationship with ET (He was Elliott) Remains the intergral part of that film.
 
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