My Bill

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this movie. I hadn't intended on watching it but the TV was on while I was surfing the Internet and I found myself paying more attention to the movie instead of the computer.

Dickie Moore (qv) and the lovely Kay Francis (qv) make a pretty tough mother-son duo. They need to be tough when it comes to dealing with the other members of their family.

At a little over an hour in length, My Bill is easily worth you time. Heck, it's better than most hour long TV shows, and if you catch it on one of the classic movie channels you won't have to sit through any commercials!

I was unfamiliar with Kay Francis' work before My Bill but it didn't take long for me to become a fan. And for what it's worth, I love her speaking voice!

The very best thing about this movie was Dickie Moore. He was a little tour de force. He was one of those child actors who could not only act but was a commanding presence on screen. The writing was hideous and the acting of the other three children were bland at best, but it was REALLY nice when Aunt Caroline really "got her's." I personally loved the banker. I thought he was sweet but had a kick to him when he finally decided enough was enough.

I enjoyed Kay Francis and thought she did a good job with a really badly written character. If you watch this film, watch it for Dickie Moore. He is one of the very best child actors of all time.

I loved the film "My Bill". It was suspenseful, crisp, well set, and the actors and actresses did a magnificent job. Dickie Moore was great beyond imagination in this movie. His expression and voice inflections were so natural. The settings were well thought out. The sequence of events seemed to flow in perfect succession; that is something that allows the viewing audience to appreciate the simplicity of the plot and have time to concentrate of the great talent being presented. Choices made for the various actors in this movie have been decided with real talent! This is a movie that remains ageless; one that will never go out of style. I guess I would sum it up by saying I believe it can be considered a true "classic". Although he was just a young boy, he displayed the qualities of a seasoned actor, which he remained for his entire career.

I highly recommend this film to everyone. I just wish I could personally tell him how great I think he is. His kind are rare and are so appreciated. They will remain forever in our hearts for their greatness!

My Bill (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Predictable but irresistible "B" picture from Warner features Kay Francis as a widowed mother who finds herself broke and trying to support her four children anyway she can. When her dead husband's sister takes the three oldest children, it leaves the mother and her youngest son Bill (Dickie Moore) to try and right the ship. MY BILL runs just 64-minutes and it contain some of the most predictable moments of melodrama that you're ever going to see but at the same time the film is just so charming that you can't help but fall in love with the characters and their situation. The screenplay by future director Vincent Sherman isn't the greatest thing ever written but it's serviceable enough. The characters either have wings attached to their backs or rattles meaning that there's really no "development" as characters are either good or evil but that's okay. The film manages to work because the actors are simply so good in their roles. I dare say this here is one of the best performances I've seen from Francis. She perfectly handles this role and really brings it to life no matter what is asked from her. Whether she's playing the sweet mother, the strong mother or the one facing certain drama, Francis is perfect all around. Moore is also brilliant in his role as the tough-as-nails kid who stands up for his mom at all costs. Bonita Granville, Anita Louise and East Side Kid Bobby Jordan play the three oldest children and it's always nice to see them. John Litel has a small but good role as does Helena Phillips Evans and Elizabeth Risdon. Fans of "B" movies are certainly going to enjoy this little gem and if you are a fan of Turner Classic Movies and the countless forgotten movies they show, then many of the cast are going to be familiar to you. Everything here really adds up to a nice little gem and it's certainly worth catching.

I recently had the opportunity to see this film on TCM. What a wonderful film. Kay Francis was a very underrated actress. She can portray any type of character, and in this film she portrays a mother at the end of her rope trying to raise four children alone. Her youngest son, Bill adores his mother and even calls her 'sweetheart'. The relationship between the mother and children is very interesting and in some instances is still very contemporary. This premise might seem corny by todays standards, but that does not make the film any less effective. It is a heart warming film, and makes you feel good when it ends. There aren't many films of today that leave you totally satisfied from beginning to end, but this film fulfilled that! If you have the chance to see this, please do... you won't regret it!