When I Grow Up

when i read the review by "meister-5" of kansas, city, missouri, regarding this motion picture, i thought i had written it. it is so sad that such an influential work has not made it to vcr and sold/rented on the marketplace. what a shame. the storyline is excellent and the acting is fabulous. it is clean and it impacted my life very similarly to that of your commenter "meister-5". i appreciate the info provided by imdb!

It was from reading these comments that I located the film in 16mm and later transferred it to video. Bobby Driscoll has always been a favorite of mine and everyone I have been in touch with says that this was his best film.This is a very special and wonderfully sentimental story that should be seen by every male of any age. I, like so many others, cried at the end. It brought back memories of my parents and the struggles of being a young teenager. This film is also blessed with an inspired musical score. The opening theme will haunt you for a long time. When I Grow Up is a classic and should be available on video! Let's unite and demand it!

Like the other reviewers, I saw this film in the early 50's at a Saturday matinée. I was 8 or so, and have never forgotten that day. I wonder if all of you who have seen it remember the haunting harmonica tune played throughout, and especially during the last scene. I understand that TCM owns the rights to the film, but have never moved forward with it. I worked for Disney Studios for years, and even presented my case to them as a feature for the Disney Channel, especially since Bobby Driscoll was one of their classic performers. To no avail, I'm afraid.

The world is missing such a gem.

I first saw the movie when I was around 12 or 13 years old. It has stuck with me all these years as one of the most moving father/son relationship moments I've seen. I tried to incorporate the best of the movie's redeeming values as we raised our son -- now a 34-year old Navy Chaplain. The trials and tribulations of the family and, particularly the father and son, are themes that each of us need to either experience or learn about in life. If we did, I think we would all have a better grasp on the humanity of us all. I've looked for the movie over the years; if it were on or available, I'd watch it over and over. Here's hoping other fathers and sons get to experience this wonderful movie. Roy

For a modest little B picture When I Grow Up packs a lot of heart string tugging punch. Sam Spiegel produced this when he was operating under S.P. Eagle and screenwriter Michael Kanin got his only directorial credit for the screen.

This is the story of two generations of Reeds, present day 1951 with Harry Morgan and Elizabeth Fraser trying to raise Bobby Driscoll whom they see as willfully disobedient. Living with them is Morgan's father and Driscoll's grandfather Charley Grapewin. After a hand wringing session with Morgan and Fraser about how are we going to deal with this rebellious kid, Grapewin goes up to the attic and finds a diary he kept as a kid.

As he reads his thoughts back then we're transported to 1892 and now Grapewin's role is also played by Driscoll. He's being brought up by a very stern father in Robert Preston and a deferring wife in Martha Scott. He also as a little sister in Sherry Jackson who delights in tormenting him and the parents always take her side. She's daddy's little girl and everyone knows it. Watching Preston he's far from the charming conman Harold Hill who was operating in Iowa in this era.

The influence of Mark Twain is unmistakable here as Driscoll slips neatly into a Tom Sawyer like childhood. The Huckleberry Finn of the story is Johnny McGovern whom Driscoll's parents warn about associating with such disreputable people. McGovern's mom is reputed to be a lady of easy virtue.

A decision by the boys to run away and join the circus has an impact that's felt two generations away. That's all I can say about how the lives of Charley Grapewin and his grandson are affected, but affected they are.

The closest film I could compare this with is A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. Nostalgia to be sure, but tempered with a very hard realism about what life was like in semi-rural setting for Driscoll and an urban setting for the Nolan family in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.

When I Grow Up hasn't got the production values a major studio could have given it. But the ensemble cast is just about perfect in their roles and it will get the tear glands working.