Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Back in the 1930s, you'd hardly know that they were in the midst of the Depression when you watched movies. Hardly any seemed to acknowledge that the country's outlook was bleak and that so many were out of work....and films generally featured rich and happy folks. "Five Little Peppers and How They Grew" is unusual because it features a very poor family that struggles to make ends meet.

When the film begins, you learn that some rich industrialist if looking for the heirs of John Pepper, a mining engineer who owns 50% of a mine. The problem is they have no idea who the heirs are and the Pepper family is poor and completely oblivious to their good fortune.

Much of the film has to do with the Pepper children all working to make a cake for their mother's birthday. In the process of getting money and supplies for the cake, they meet a nice rich boy who is desperately lonely for friends. Naturally, the writers were trying to say to the audience that financial wealth is NOT the same as true wealth...such as the way the Peppers loved each other. Not surprisingly, the boy's family just happens to be the ones looking for the Pepper heirs. So what's next? See the film.

"Five Little Peppers" is a very nice film...sweet and the sort of thing some might think is a bit too schmaltzy. But its message was perfect for the Depression era and folks needed some hope. Overall, a nice little story that you can't help but enjoy...schmaltziness and all.



By the way, if you watch the film look for Tommy Bond playing one of the Pepper kids. In the Little Rascals films, he played Butch--the bully. Here, however, he's a nicer kid...and gave Bond a chance to do something different.

You don't watch a film like this for the plot. It projects a world of morality, common decency and a naïve but infectious positivity in "defiance" of the cynical desire for narratives that almost glorify endless tragedy and suffering. There are plenty of classics that handle tragedy masterfully well but every story doesn't have to be about tragedy. "Feel good" narratives exist, and I'd rather see them in this form than 99% of the drivel we get today.

I know too many people who refuse to watch any movie or television show filmed in black and white. That is too bad because they are missing some very good shows. The plot in this movie isn't overly exciting. There are no car chases or murders. Actually the plot is somewhat predictable. However it is a pleasant story about a family who loves each other. The children are polite and respectful unlike many children portrayed today. The youngest child, layed by then four year old Dorothy Ann Seese. Was a delight to watch. She is adorable and acts natural. There are several other movies in this series.

I remember reading the novel as a child and becoming thoroughly entranced by it. Over the years I remembered it fondly; in the Nineties, when similar-themed films like "The Secret Garden", "A Little Princess", and "Little Women" were released, I thought a film version of this book would fit in nicely. I was unaware that a film version had already been produced. When I saw it listed on TCM a couple of weeks ago, I made a point of getting up early and watching it. I was first shocked to see --- gasp --- a car. Modern clothes (by 30s standards)! Although the film was certainly watchable and had its charm, it was clearly not the book I remembered. Someday someone will film the novel accurately.

Five LIttle Peppers and How They Grew (1939)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

As this film opened it became clear within minutes that this here was Columbia's answer to the Andy Hardy series from MGM. The story focuses on a widowed mother and her five children who are growing up poor. It turns out that the dead husband had control of a mine, which is now worth a lot of money but the family doesn't realize it. Soon a rich man (Clarence Kolb) who knows the value wants to steal it from them but he begins to have a change of heart after getting to know the children. FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS AND HOW THEY GREW tries so painfully hard to be sweet and cute that at times you can't help but roll your eyes. However, just like the bitter old man in the movie, the kids and story eventually win you over and in the end this here really turned out to be a cute little movie. Yes, the story is predictable and there's some questionable acting and story lines but there's still no question that this movie was made to be sweet and not win awards. I was really surprised at how much I began to like this family and want to see them overcome all the odds that were stacked up against them. The oldest daughter Polly (Edith Fellows) was certainly a charmer and manages to really bring you into this family. I thought the other children were cute enough as well but I also really enjoyed the performance of Kolb and especially how he changed throughout the film. At just 58-minutes the film runs by super fast and I think fans of these family "B" movies should enjoy it.