bowiebks

I had little hope for the public domain DVD I bought of this little programmer from Monogram...was I wrong and how! Direction, script and photography are all better than you might expect, and Jackie Cooper leads a great cast which includes good parts for fine supporting players of the era...a special note for George Irving as the kindly judge...he had one of the most elegant voices in film and will be forever remembered as Alexander Peabody in Bringing Up Baby.

But the most appealing aspect of this movie is the genuine freshness which the actors bring to the situations, many of which had already become Hollywood clichés. The Christmas party scene with the poor kids at the judge's home is only one of many memorable scenes which make this a way above average "B" picture of the era. The sentimental touches are sincere and you'll be surprised how this fine little movie draws to a strong conclusion!

No one has mentioned the magnificent performance of George Macready as the agent, nor the devastating scene near the beginning of the film where he and Douglas have a chance encounter at an airport. To put it politely, in that scene Macready takes Douglas to task for past failures...it is one of the most brutal bits in all film history. Macready always knew how to make his mark, no matter how small the role! I recently enjoyed seeing him in his third film, The Story of Doctor Wassell, where he had a very small part as a Dutch army officer...striking and vivid, and that smooth chilly voice of his has never been equaled in all of filmdom.