Todo o nada

Any movie with George " Foghorn " Winslow is fun ! I know that's a generalization of the first magnitude , but it happens to be true. This is a little movie - but a good one . It's definitely a 50's style family affair . Richard Widmark softens his act and comes across as very believable . When " Foghorn " is on screen , however , the film belongs to him . Enjoy .

Richard Widmark is so adorable in this movie! If this was the first movie he ever made, instead of Kiss of Death, he would have had an entirely different career. He would have played nice, lovable guys, fathers, love interests - he might have even played alongside Frank Sinatra in Guys and Dolls - talk about the battle of the blue eyes!

He plays a single dad in this movie, and he enrolls his young son, George Winslow, in a daycare run by Joanne Dru. It's no surprise that he and Joanne fall in love, but can she help soften his edges? He's a businessman at heart who prioritizes work ahead of family. When he realizes how much his son needs him, how will he change? Or will his ex-wife, Audrey Totter, come back into the picture and ruin everything?

My Pal Gus is really sweet, but chances are you haven't heard of it. Richard Widmark isn't really famous for making cute movies. Try to find a copy of it if you can, because he's just too cute for words. There's something so endearing about a gangster-type reading stories to children. Remember how cute Brian Donlevy was in The Great McGinty? Now it's Dick's turn, and it's so easy to root for him and hope he, George, and Joanne can all work out together.

"My Pal Gus" is a very enjoyable family film. However, late in the story there's a plot twist that didn't make sense to me or my aunt who was watching with me. Fortunately, it didn't harm the movie too much...but it reduces the score I expected to give it from 8 to 7.

Dave Jennings (Richard Widmark) is a very successful man...at least when it comes to his business. But when it comes to raising his young son, Gus (George Winslow), he is a failure. This is because after his awful wife left him because he wasn't successful enough for her, he became all business...making him rich but neglecting the boy in the process.

After having every possible governess refuse to work for him because the boy is out of control, he enrolls the boy in a local preschool, as the teacher (Joanne Dru) turns out to be exactly what the family needs. Now that things are going wonderfully, you know SOMETHING bad must happen, as it's only halfway through the movies. The what turns out to be Dave's selfish ex-wife....and what comes next, you'll have to see for yourself.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but late in the movie there's a court hearing and the judge's decision simply made no sense. I am actually surprised the writer of the film didn't notice this....but my aunt and I were baffled by this illogical plot twist. Still, despite this, the story is engaging and well worth your time. Just try to suspend disbelief at the wonky part of the story!

I am disappointed that George Winslow has never gotten more credit for being one of the most adorable child actors of all time. I also regret that the movie, "My Pal Gus" has never been released on video. I loved the movie and have looked and looked for it to show up on TCM or AMC. It was a very enjoyable movie with top actors, i.e. Richard Widmark and Jo Ann Dru along with George Winslow; one of which you just don't get any more. I would love for my children and grandchildren to be able to see these movies as well. I did see The Scoutmaster once in the last year or so,but as far as I know, that was the only time in the last several years. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would also like to see it again. Please pass it on that movies like these are never forgotten and I would request that you pass it on to whoever it matters that it would be very appreciated if My Pal Gus could be offered on video. Thank you very much for your consideration in this matter and the chance to tell you this. Jo Ann Clark

Word around school at the time was you had to see Foghorn Winslow to believe it. So we all trooped dutifully to the theatre where we heard this little kid sound like an adult who'd had about 1,000 cigarettes too many. Plus, he had this Buster Keaton deadpan that never changed expression. So we all laughed at a kid who didn't look or sound like any kid we knew. And a good thing he was pretty funny because I don't remember caring much for the adult end.

Now I can appreciate the adult end even though the movie sags a bit in the middle. I guess it's to the credit of the Kanin's that the story is as generally intelligent as it is. After all, most of us simply assume it's kids who need to be sensitized into an adult world and not vice-versa. But the movie shows us how sometimes the latter is more important than the former; that is, if we're going to succeed with the former. The ending too is a good little lesson in values, though I'm not sure how many folks could make the same gutsy decision Dave (Widmark) does.

Looks like Widmark was looking for a career change since a suburban dad seems a little tame for the likes of Tommy Udo, Kiss of Death (1947). He does surprisingly well, especially as the hard-driving business tycoon. But I'd really like to enroll in whatever school Miss Marble (Dru) is teaching at. She's a knockout, making it hard to believe there're not a hundred guys crowding around her. On the other end, I hope they paid Totter double for impersonating a mother from heck.

Anyhow, I'm glad I caught up again with this little programmer after so many years. Despite my much earlier impression, there really is a lot more to the movie than an unusual little kid, good as he is.