Little Old New York

This film sports winning performances (Alice Faye is delightful and very accomplished as a light comic actress), plenty of well-played comedy and well-staged action, a fine Alfred Newman score. But what really impressed and intrigued me were some elaborately staged outdoor scenes which appeared to be at least partially shot on a real 18th century seaport, not just the back lot. Either Fox spent a whole lot of money constructing a very large and realistic looking seaport set, or some of this was shot on location at some historic recreation site, or the art director was a genius in making the back lot look a lot bigger than it was. Interesting to see what a muscular hunk Fred MacMurray was, very different than his image in later years.

Though it probably has zip to do with the actual story of Robert Fulton and the invention and manufacture of the first steam engine this is a very pleasant little drama with light overtones. That's mainly due to the cast, all very competent performers who have a nice chemistry together.

Alice Faye, not singing this time, is full of brassy snap as the most virtuous waterfront innkeeper who never existed who longs to leave the docks behind and become a lady. She's matched by Fred MacMurray full of cheery bonhomie as a shipbuilder, the now amusingly named Charley Brownne, who has a yen for Alice. Richard Greene is a bit of a stick as Fulton but he and Brenda Joyce make an attractive pair. And Andy Devine is along to add his squeaky voiced charm as a buddy of the lead pair.

The title, an obvious attempt by Fox to conjure up thoughts of Alice's big hit of a few years before, In Old Chicago, has very little to do with the picture. You hardly see any outdoor shots of the city but the interior sets are handsomely mounted if unimaginatively lit as you'd expect for a Fox feature for their top star.

If you're looking for a history lesson about the progress of navigation during the country's early years you won't find it here but if a enjoyable diversion for about an hour and a half is what you seek this will fill the bill. Nothing spectacular but a nice hidden gem for fans of the stars.

This is an incredibly fictionalized account of the work of Robert Fulton to make the first American steamship. Alice Faye, Fred MacMurray and Ward Bond are there...even though they really were inventions of the playwright to first came up with this story. As a history lesson, it comes up lacking! What follows is sort of a comic book version of history--the sort of thing that Hollywood often did in their highly fictionalize 'true stories'.

So is this any good? Well, it looks nice. Twentieth Century-Fox made lovely looking films and the music and glitz are all present in this expensive production. It's also mildly entertaining...but slight. No great drama or comedy here...just another highly fictionalized film along the same lines as "In Old Chicago" and nothing more.

Nothing deep, but an interesting Hollywood-ized account of the development of steam propeled ships. Imagine... being able to propel a vessel upstream even into the wind! But at what risk? The current economy's support? And how do you pay for the thing?!?! Additionally, you have a young country out to protect its interests... but what if it acted Isolationistically? Would you be able to pursue your dreams? If the overdeveloped subplots of "Sink the Bismark" did'nt offend your sensibilities greatly, you will enjoy this yarn.

"Little Old New York" is a fictional story about Robert Fulton's invention of the first successful steamboat. It is based on a 1920 Broadway play by Rida Young of the same title that ran for 308 performances. Young was a playwright who became best known for her lyrics to Victor Herbert's operetta, "Naughty Marietta."

Fulton had been living in Europe for some 20 years where he first made a living as a painter and then began working on inventions, sometimes with others. Back in the States, Fulton set out to find backing to build the first steamboat to navigate rivers. Henry Stephenson plays Robert Livingston, a former U.S. ambassador whom Fulton had met and befriended in England. Livingston helped raise the funds for Fulton's steamboat.

Richard Green plays Robert Fulton, and while the story is about his invention, it revolves mostly around another couple. Much, if not most of this is fictional, of course. Alice Faye plays Pat O'Day, a wharf front tavern owner who first is smitten by Fulton, and then helps round up support and finances for him. Her cohort in this adventure is Charles Brownne, played by Fred MacMurray. He's been Pat's beau all along.

This is a light comedy and drama about Fulton's invention. It does have some historical value, but mostly in its pictorial presentation of the docks and shipbuilding of 18th and 19th centuries, The Fox studio did a superb job in replicating the shipbuilding works of New England of the day. And in portraying the craft of shipbuilding at the time.