My Bill

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.

In her suburban Massachusetts mansion, extravagant widow Kay Francis (as Mary Colbrook) tries to manage the needs of her four children and a maid, despite having lost the family fortune. After he is unable to buy a $1.50 tie on credit, serious teenager Bobby Jordan (as Reginald "Reggie" Colbrook Jr.) breaks the unhappy news to the family. Piano-practicing sister Bonita Granville (as Gwendolyn "Gwen" Colbrook) is embarrassed when men repossess her instrument. Older daughter Anita Louise (as Muriel Colbrook) won't attend a party with fiancé Maurice Murphy (as Lynn Willard) unless she has a new dress...

Only pre-teen Dickie Moore (as William "Bill" Colbrook) seems unconcerned with material things. He calls Ms. Francis "Sweetheart" and supports his mom unconditionally. Worried about affording college, young Jordan leads the older three children to abandon Francis for exacting aunt Elisabeth Risdon (as Caroline Colbrook). Remaining loyal, young Moore gets a job selling newspapers and asks ailing old Helena Phillips Evans (as Adelaide Crosby) for a loan. Also helpful is banker John Litel (as John C. Rudlin). He has a secret connection to the financially strapped family...

Original playwright Tom Barry's cutting edge comedy about a Depression-era family in financial crisis began its successful run on Broadway a full year before the 1929 Wall Street crash. First filmed under its original title "Courage" (1930), this adaptation is briskly directed by John Farrow. He captures the energy of every first good take. A "stage to screen" approach makes up for the eldest daughter seeming a little too old, and some scattered "Colbrook family" accents...

It's marvelously cast. Francis is perfect as the kooky mom, playing with scene-stealing Moore to a draw. Jordan (the "Dead End Kid") and Granville (aka "Nancy Drew") broadly hit every mark. Veteran Risdon is ideally mean and Ms. Phillips Evans shows what she can do with more screen time. Able-bodied maid Bernice Pilot (as Beulah) drinks for her "rheumatism" and the plot subversively hints Mr. Litel fathered Moore. A surplus of former leading actors in "bit" parts adds to the fun.

******** My Bill (7/7/38) John Farrow ~ Kay Francis, Dickie Moore, Bobby Jordan, Bonita Granville

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!

A surprisingly effective programmer (however, Hattie McDaniel is >not< in the movie! It's Bernice Pilot). Performances all around are excellent, and the drama that plays out is still something that can move modern audiences if they give it a chance.

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!