The Little Minister

It's 1840 Thrums, Scotland. Gavin Dishart arrives with his mother to be the new Minister in the rural town. The town is impressed with his righteous talk. Babbie (Katharine Hepburn) is a cunning irreverent gypsy and there is a town ban on the gypsies. She pranks them by inciting a revolt against imaginary troops and then the real soldiers arrive. At every turn, Babbie is able to trick Gavin until finally, he is able to proclaim his love for the gypsy.

It's silly that Hepburn is playing a gypsy and she is dressed like the most stereotypical gypsy. It is saved by her shear playfulness and the eventual explanation of the truth. Initially, she's the cat and Gavin is little more than her play thing. That's kinda fun. She broadly play acts and he falls for it every time. It turns into a romantic melodrama and she makes it work.

• Romantic drama based on the novel and play by J. M. Barrie, from RKO and director Richard Wallace. Gavin (John Beal) is the new minister assigned to a church in a small Scottish town, circa 1840. His youth and slight frame belie his fiery rhetoric and impassioned sermons. The locals chafe under the oppressive rule of Lord Rintoul (Frank Conroy), and a mysterious gypsy girl (Katharine Hepburn) gives valuable intelligence about the Lord's attempts to suppress revolt using armed troops. Gavin falls for the gypsy girl, but she has a secret that may doom them both. Also featuring Byron Foulger in his film debut.

Judging by the description, I was reluctant to watch this, as it doesn't sound like something I'd care for, despite the presence of Hepburn (for whom I watched) and a couple of the supporting players. I was surprised to find myself enjoying this, and more than the average viewer, judging by the IMDb score. I thought Beal assayed his role perfectly, a combination of youthful self-righteousness and naive social blunderer, and that Hepburn was strong, funny, attractive, and vibrant. Among the others, Alan Hale was a stand-out as the hulking town drunk looking for redemption. This was the sixth, and so far final, film version of the Barrie work.

Firstly, the characters are set at a time which is difficult for most to imagine or even understand in 2004 terms. "old style religion" actually did tend to be very much interested in the moral affairs of it's congregation, and particularly of it's minister. the film " how Green is my Valley" also shows a similar insight into the heavier attitudes of people to moral affairs. That gypsies have also not always been peoples favourite visitors is also well known. So when we meet up with a light and easy 'gypsy' in the shape of Katherine Hepburn we are instantly drawn to her (with an unknown playing the part we would have needed to be won-over). But in the early 1930's Hepburn was almost an 'unknown', but in 2004 we are already biased in her favour, and so we should, she's still learning her trade as an actress, and shows immense presence, wit, and is eminently enjoyable.

The character of Gavin by contrast needed to be somewhat subdued and so it was that the film and it's characters are displayed to our enjoyment. For a film made when many were still learning how to make films, how to cast off the attitude that 'we are on stage', when cameramen and directors were making real entertainment based on a good story, fine acting, NO computer gimmicks it's one of those many 1930's in retrospect feel good movies that older folk can relate with.

I really enjoyed this sentimental antique. Hepburn and Beal are terrific. Movie music fans should not miss this early Max Steiner score. I had never heard of it. It's one of his earliest through-composed soundtracks. I loved the meticulous scoring and varied arrangements of the folklike love theme, which is fully stated in the opening credits (a one minute burst of romantic fervor) and is then interpolated and altered throughout the film, first returning when Hepburn says "I do believe you've liked me all the time" to which Beal replies with the question that sums up the film's theme "Can a man like a woman against his will?". There's a great sequence where Hepburn shines a lantern through the minister's living room window. Listen to how Steiner punctuates the flashes of light. As with all good symphonic scores the love theme returns finally to tie everything together, but not before we've heard it played on everything from solo violin to bagpipes.

This was the last film version made of this delightful story based on James Matthew Barrie's first major successful novel and play, and it is long overdue for a modern remake, done with similar charm, beauty, and simplicity, please.

Here we find a timeless tale of a fresh-faced, youthful pastor boy, direct out of seminary, who loves his mother and has affection for his congregation, but who finds himself flaunting convention by falling in love against his will with a wild, beautiful gypsy girl. You could no more imagine this girl sitting quietly in a church praying than you could imagine Ted Kennedy becoming a Republican.

Gavin the minister, though he is "little" in physical size, is not small in courage or intellectual honesty. He knows he is falling in love with this girl, but can't seem to help himself. He fights his feelings, but still he is attracted, like a moth to a flame. She tricks him and teases him in their first encounters, yet he still comes back for more. There's just something different about this Babbie that he cannot resist (and one senses the gypsy girl feels the same way about Gavin). We see their relationship growing, the congregation begins to suspect something is distracting their beloved new minister from his duties, and an inevitable confrontation is in the works.

I won't give away any more, but go rent the video sometime or catch it on AMC or TCM, especially if you wish to see Katherine Hepburn in one of her most poignant, humorous and delightful performances (she even sings, too!). Kudos also to the late John Beal, who was perfectly cast as Gavin Dishart, the little minister. And an A-plus goes to Max Steiner for his lovely background musical score. Also, read the book by JMB when you get a chance; one can't put it down.