My Pal Gus

"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!

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.

I saw "My Pal Gus" many years ago, in Australia, but it is one of the movies that have remained in my memory ever since. I think the main reason I enjoyed this particular film was because it was so different from the usual roles that Richard Widmark played. This is one of the films that I would enjoy seeing again as it would be interesting to see how it has stood up to the "test of time". I particularly remember the scene at the kindergarten where the children were playing in the dirt, which culminated in Richard Widmark having a rather unusual taste treat, and some of the children had questions his character found difficult to answer. A really enjoyable film, without any bad language, torrid love scenes or violence - a great family film.

I'm sure Richard Widmark probably fought to get a role where he wasn't a tough guy, good or bad. If so My Pal Gus fits the bill perfectly for a man who wanted a little diversity in his roles.

Widmark is a divorced father whose wife Audrey Totter ran out on him and his young son George Winslow. Widmark in those years has made quite a name for himself and a lot of money to boot. But he's consumed with making money that responsibility for his temper tantrum throwing kid leaving that to butler Ludwig Donath and cook Lisa Golm.

That changes when he enrolls Winslow in Joanne Dru's private school and Dru takes an interest in him and the boy.

There are certain plot similarities between My Pal Gus and the John Wayne-Donna Reed film Trouble Along The Way. Of course the major difference was the economic position of disgraced football coach John Wayne and businessman tycoon Richard Widmark.

One thing that was exactly the same was the mother role. Neither Marie Windsor or Audrey Totter would win mother of the year. Totter especially if you envision your mom as a mother cobra than Totter is perfect casting. She had the juiciest role in My Pal Gus and made the most of it.

The end result is for Widmark to learn he's a father first and everything else is second. How he learns it is for you to see My Pal Gus.

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 .