Little Men ** (1934, Ralph Morgan, Erin O’Brien-Moore, Junior Durkin, Frankie Darro, Dickie Moore) – Classic Movie Review 9213

Louisa May Alcott’s novel (a semi-sequel to Little Women), gets a reasonable if undistinguished film treatment that eventually goes overboard on slush and gets way too heart tugging in director Phil Rosen’s 1934 film Little Men, a tale of the trials of school-life in an academy run by Professor Bhaer and Jo Bhaer (Ralph Morgan and Erin O’Brien-Moore). Jo Bhaer is of course the former Jo March from Little Women, now married to Professor Bhaer, and running the Plumfield School for homeless boys.

Junior Durkin, Frankie Darro and Dickie Moore play the Little Men, Franz, Dan and Demi.

Also in the cast is Cora Sue Collins, Phyllis Fraser, David Durand, Tad Alexander, Buster Phelps, Ronnie Cosby, Tommy Bupp, Bobby Cox, Dickie Jones and Richard Quine.

It is based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1871 novel Little Men, or Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys.

Little Men is directed by Phil Rosen, runs 72 minutes, is made by Mascot Pictures, is released by Mascot Pictures (1935) (US) and Associated British Film Distributors (1935) (UK), is written by Gertrude Orr, based on Louisa May Alcott’s novel, is shot in black and white by Ernie Miller and William Nobles, is produced by Ken Goldsmith and is scored by Hugo Riesenfeld.

It is remade by director Norman Z McLeod in 1940 again as Little Men, with Kay Francis, Jack Oakie, Jimmy Lydon and George Bancroft.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9213

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