My Pal Gus

Once again, we have an example here of a movie that has been lost to the limbo of cable TV somewhere.

It is unfortunate that when AMC lost Nick Clooney as a host, and decided that movies 5 or 10 years old and in COLOR should be CLASSICS, and then chose to forget about some movies that were 'middle-aged', (being from the '50s) and black & white.

Talk about discrimination !!!

Well, maybe Turner Classics or the Fox Movie channel may think otherwise someday, but for now we seem to be deprived of some real treasures.

For example, here is a family classic deserving of praise, as well as being seen much more often.

Here we have tough-guy Richard Widmark showing off his 'soft side' and his parenting skills.

Or, rather the lack of them.

It seems that his son Gus, played by George Winslow (old 'Foghorn')is not behaving himself, so his frustrated male parent takes him to a nursery school, run by Joanne Dru.

As we all know, or should know, Ms Dru is not the usual image one would conjure as a 'schoolmarm', which also doesn't escape the notice of Mr Widmark.

While it is not long before Gus is well-behaved, now the father wants to stay after school with 'teacher'.

Naughty, Naughty !!!!

Well, not really !!!

You see, Father is divorced and has sole custody of the child, (a rare thing in the 1950's), and considering wife Carolyn Jones and HER parenting skills, who can blame the court.

It appears that being a businessman takes a great deal out of his time (Widmark runs a company that makes ice-cream and candy).

WHAT ????????

Yes, you heard right, tough-guy RW makes bons-bons, not BOMB-BOMBS !!!

Anyway the teacher obliges by tutoring Father about kids in general, and in so doing allowing him to win his son's love and respect, and in the end winning the teacher's hand.

But, things don't work out well when his wife names the teacher in her divorce action, resulting in a nasty trial that nearly undoes everything.

But my friends, trust old time Hollywood to win the day, as all turns out well in the end.

Of course, this was the usual Hollywood studio effort before television and the studio system was broken up to make room for those NEW CLASSICS on AMC.

Too bad Hollywood had to grow up !!!!

Hope we don't !!!

And I hope we see this gem again real soon.

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

I just caught most of MY PAL GUS on the Fox movie channel early this morning. Boasting Richard Widmark as a single parent to a preschool boy (frog sounding George Winslow) and the lovely Joanne Dru as the boy's teacher, I thought I'd give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised.

Here is a portrayal of a parent who can't deal with his precocious child and seeks help with a professional. He's a successful, self made business man and getting help is something he rarely does.

***Spoiler Alerts***

We follow Dave Jennings (Widmark) through his frustrating efforts to cope with the school's (and it's administrator's, Dru's Lydia Marble) demands for active participation. Widmark is awkward, annoyed and at times funny as he struggles with his softer side. As Dru converts a "jerk into a parent" his feelings for her deepen and she eventually relents. She of course is a teacher to both son and father.

But paradise is threatened by the cold, conniving ex-wife and boy's mother Joyce (Audrey Totter). She left her family high and dry when the boy was an infant but is back looking for a payoff.

A custody battle ensues and both sides get what they want...or do they? This of course endangers all concerned...father-son and Dave-Lydia. I won't spoil the outcome but the battle is largely Dave's fault. He's not willing to settle out of court, so sure he'll win, as he has with everything. The spectre of losing his son and his love guides him in the end.

Great to watch Widmark, though still the tough guy in a different role. What I liked best is that it's not sappy or hokey. Dad doesn't have to do something to win over his child or gain the support of his woman, just be a loving man. Dru is good as Widmark's patient love. Joan Banks is Widmark's capable personal assistant Ivy, Regis Toomey his lawyer.

Nice companion to 1953's TROUBLE ALONG THE WAY (John Wayne-Donna Reed).

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.

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.