This ad for “Once Upon a Time” (1944) urges us to see it, using words like “wonderful”, “whimsical”, the questionably grammatical “chucklesome”, and “Santa Claus.”
Talking heads of Cary Grant and Janet Blair in argumentative pose don’t help much to convey what the movie is about and exactly why we should see it. We probably can’t blame the studio publicity department, though, as the plot for this “whimsical” and “chucklesome” film has to do with Grant playing a huckster who tries to make a starring attraction from a small boy’s pet caterpillar, who dances to “Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby.”
Standby character actors James Gleason and William Demarest report duty. The boy is Ted Donaldson, whom you may remember as Peggy Ann Garner’s brother in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1945). This was Ted’s first film. If you’ve seen it, let us know what you think.
7 comments:
All I need to hear to know I must see this film is "a small boy’s pet caterpillar, who dances to “Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby.”" Wow, what a chucklesome concept!
Chucklesome is the vocabulary word of the day. Let's all write it in our copybooks ten times.
This is most definitely a kid's movie!
This blog is absolutely splendid. The diversity of the topics covered is amazing. Well written and informative. I'm very impressed, indeed. This is a movie blog!
Thank you so much, Chris. You're very kind.
I recorded this last time it was on TCM but haven't watched yet - I should tackle it over the holiday weekend. It sounded either adorable or incredibly stupid. I love the concept of a singing caterpillar.
Oh, please let us know how it is. I agree, by the description of the film, it could go either way.
Post a Comment