Best Film Performances by a Child
Submitted by lukeprog on Sat, 07/31/2004 - 04:57
Tags:
- Patricia McCormack as Rhoda Penmark in The Bad Seed (1956)
- Keisha Castle-Hughes as Paikea in Whale Rider (2002)
- Wojciech Klata as Pawel in Decalogue: One (1988)
- Haley Joel Osment as Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Alakina Mann as Anne in The Others (2001)
- Dakota Fanning as Lucy Diamond Dawson in I Am Sam (2001)
- Natalie Wood as Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- Jackie Coogan as the Kid in The Kid (1921)
- Kristen Stewart as Sarah Altman in Panic Room (2002)
- Ivan Jandl as Karel Malik in The Search (1948)
Author Comments:
Suggestions GREATLY welcomed. I think the cutoff age must be around teenage-hood, because I'm including Keisha Castle-Hughes in Whale Rider (12), but not Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver (14), Wil Wheaton in Stand By Me (14), or Peggy Ann Garner in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (13), though the latter 3 would make the list if it wasn't for their age.
Kristen Stewart (sarah Altman-Panic Room)
Natalie Portman (Matilda -Leon-akaProfessional, The )
agree with #1, haven't seen #2 yet.
I don't know anything about The Search, but from what I read, it seemed like Ivan Jandl as Karel Malik was the child in the movie. Wendell Corey would have been around 34 at the time of release, but again, I haven't seen the movie, so what do I really know about it?
Which leads me to ask, do you have an age limit in mind as far as defining child is concerned? I immediately thought of July Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, but she was 16 at the time.
Lol, I was a bit confused looking at the imdb.com entries for The Search, thanks for the clarification.
For 'child', I'm thinking about 14 or younger, but I haven't verified all my choices for that limit.
Eamonn Owens in "The Butcher Boy". What's your take?
Haven't seen it! Added to my list.
Excellent idea. It makes me wish that I could stay awake during Shirley Temple movies so I could see what the fuss was about.
Henry Thomas & Drew Barrymore as Elliot & Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Without them the movie is just a midget in a latex suit.
Justin Henry as Billy Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
I remember little beyond not being allowed to eat ice cream but holding your own with Hoffman and Streep has got to rack you some points.
Ron Howard as Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man (1962)
Opie Cunningham has gone steadily downhill ever since.
Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993)
Rrrrrowr. Why can't I meet women like that?
Macauley Culkin as Miles Russell in Uncle Buck (1989)
Whatever happened to that guy?
Elijah Wood as Mark Evans in The Good Son (1993)
And ever since Wood and Culkin have gotten just what they deserved.
Let me just mention how much I disliked:
Jonathan Ke Quan as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Nothing says "cultural hegemony" better than a scruffy child speaking pidgin English. Almost enough to distract me from hating Kate Capshaw and monkey brains.
I know there's a bunch, but all I can think of now are a couple of old ones... Mary Badham as "Scout" and Phillip Alford as "Jeb" in "To Kill a Mockingbird."
BTW, Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver, at 14, is not eligible due to age (for this particular list, anyway).