When a Feller Needs a Friend

While young Jackie Cooper received top billing and was a huge star at the time this film was made, the real star was 'Chic' Sale--an actor who was far younger than he appeared in films. Sale made a mark for himself playing lovable but very cantankerous old men--though he was only 47 when this film debuted (and he looked at least 70).

The film begins with Cooper wistfully watching the other kids in the neighborhood playing baseball. He wears a leg brace and is often left out--plus his mother is incredibly over-protective of him and won't let him do much. Her husband, Cooper's step-dad, isn't any better and both treat the boy like he's an invalid. In sharp contrast is Uncle Jonas--who insists that the boy needs to be treated like any other kid--and he should play, get dirty and take his knocks like any one his age. It's obvious that the old man is right but it's made more difficult by Cooper being a total wimp (and a bit of a coward) and his family's insistence he can't do anything. More difficulty arrives in the form of Cooper's new step-brother, Froggy (no relation to the one from the Little Rascals), as Froggy is a bully and a sneak--sort of like Eddie Haskell from "Leave it to Beaver". How all this plays out is something you'll need to see for yourself--I don't want to spoil the film.

Overall, the film is quite enjoyable but I could see someone not liking it because the characters are a bit broad and the story a bit old fashioned. It's the sort of old schmaltzy film that old film buffs will enjoy but those who don't particularly care about older films will quickly dismiss.

Pouting blond Jackie Cooper (as Edward "Eddie" Randall) longs to play ball with other boys, but is slowed down by a leg brace and some overprotective parents. Called "Limpy" (also the title of the original William Johnston book), young Cooper is looking forward to a visit by boy cousin Andy Shuford (as Frederick). Unfortunately, cousin Shuford, called "Froggie" due to his uncanny frog imitation, turns out to be a bully. But, Cooper finds a companion in elderly uncle Charles "Chic" Sale (as Jonas Tucker), who also has a "hitch in his git-along." Mr. Sale refuses to pamper Cooper, encouraging him to go fishing, and fight with bullies.

Parents Ralph Graves and Dorothy Peterson (as Tom and Margaret Randall) are hopeful a German surgeon will cure crippled Cooper's limp. The good doctor's prognosis actually lifts the film a notch, giving viewers an alternative to what must have been the most desired and expected conclusion. You can detect both intended and unintended World War II symbolism in Cooper's condition and the doctor's nationality. Of course, this may be reading too much into "When a Fellow Needs a Friend" (by half). While entertaining, the comically fun story and cast are doused by obnoxious, heavy-handed direction, especially of Cooper.

***** When a Fellow Needs a Friend (4/30/32) Harry Pollard ~ Jackie Cooper, Charles 'Chic' Sale, Ralph Graves, Andy Shuford

Today when I saw that Turner Classic Movies was celebrating Jackie Cooper's birthday, I thought that I would give this film a chance. In my opinion, along with Shirley Temple, Virginia Wielder, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, and Freddie Bartholomew along with a host of many others, Jackie Cooper was very talented. However, many times he seemed to be playing a pugnacious and sentimental boy with very little backbone, this film is an example of this kind of film.

In this film, he plays a crippled little boy who longs to be like other little boys. The only friends that he has are his Uncle Jonas who is played by Charles "Chic" Sale, who I think is absolutely amazing in this film and a cute little girl by the name of Diana. When his cousin Froggy moves in with Limpy and his family, he turns his life into a living hell. I think this film would have been great, except for Jackie crying so much. All in all, I think it's a great film.

Jackie Cooper was a good actor -- as an adult. As a kid, especially in a certain pirate movie, he seemed to be attempting an impersonation of Shirley Temple.

He hung out his lower lip and pouted.

In this movie, he pulls much of that stuff and, worse, he is whiny and even screechy. His high-pitched speech is obnoxious and very wearing.

His character is spoiled by well-meaning parents who fear their crippled son will be further damaged by any strenuous activity. They coddle and protect him -- over-protect him.

But they do love him, and import a famous German doctor whom they expect to cure him.

Up to this point, I was sorely tempted to turn off Turner Classic Movies, which was, as apparently is usual on 15 September, honoring Jackie Cooper on his birthday.

But as the little boy who is suddenly hopeful he is about to be just like the other boys, able to run and jump and play, Jackie Cooper was suddenly spellbinding.

And he continued to hold me in thrall as his character went to his uncle to lament the bad news, and to grow up.

His battle with Froggie, very well played by Andy Shuford, showed both boys -- Jackie Cooper was 10, Andy Shuford 15 -- handling the action like pros, like veteran stunt men.

Most of this movie is hardly a showcase for Jackie Cooper, but it is well worth sitting through to the end.

Gee whiz, who doesn't like Jackie Cooper? A lot of people, to judge by his reviews. Personally, I always liked him, admired him even, especially when I was a kid in the '50s, and the airwaves were saturated with Shirley Temple. Jackie was the only boy actor with anywhere near Shirley's charisma, and he was still on TV as an adult in such classic shows as "The People's Choice" and, later, "Hennessy." To my mind, he was almost always effectively cast. Take "When a Fellow Needs a Friend," for instance. Jackie, or Limpy, as he's called here (he wears a brace on one leg, and, no, the point of the movie is not to effect a miracle cure), is no saint. He allows himself to be bullied by his cousin, Froggie, and he betrays his uncle Jonas, played by the inimitable Chic Sales. But he learns a valuable lesson about love and friendship, and, at film's end, he's reunited with his uncle and he's even friends with Froggie. It's a small film, with a homely moral, and just the sort of story Depression era audiences reveled in. He may not have been the most polished actor, but he was always a natural. Let's face it, he was swell.