Black and white film guide - 1936 - Little Lord Fauntleroy

Sixth, and last recommendation of the year. So, after reviewing the films that we have recommended this year (from comedies to musicals), we are going to end this 1936 with "Little Lord Fauntleroy ". A tear-jerking film by child actor Freddie Bartholomew which, in this child-dramatic subgenre, settles us in a cinema which, at that time, was so fashionable in theaters around the world that, by themselves, they were capable of filling with good hard, the coffers of their producers. Producer, then, who, personalized in the figure of a skillful character, launched the career of a monster in this matter of producing films, his name, David O. Selznick, to stardom. And the importance of him? We'll find out why. Although suffice it to say that he produced the most important films of the next 10 years.

And it is that, today, in this recommendation we are going to fix our focus, on one of the characters of the film industry that, in the meantime, handsome director and actor and actresses, we do not usually mention: the producer.

So, due to the importance of today, our character, we are going to fill this void, telling you that, imagine we are in 1930, where it all began, fixing our close-up on a young David O. Selznick, unit producer for Metro-Goldwyn -Mayer and, incidentally, married to Irene Gladys Mayer, daughter of MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer. "What a blow the boy hit, right?"

So soon, we have good old David back home, at MGM, after going through other studios such as: Paramount Picture and, above all, RKO. Of course, with a clear determination in his gaze, that of having his own study of him.

And with this idea in his head, after, in 1935, he produced several hits for MGM such as: "A Tale of Two Cities" with Ronald Colman as the main character and, above all, "Anna Karenina" with Greta Garbo and a young man. boy, one Freddie Bartholomew. She pays attention to the latter, and finds in him the vehicle that, in the end, would lead her to achieve his wish, to emancipate himself once and for all.

Using for this, a type of cinema that had already been taken to theaters with excellent results, the tear-jerker cinema. If not, tell the child actor Jackie Cooper who, along with Wallace Beery, in 1931, had blown up the box office with "The Champ " And, said and done, in 1935 he tried it for MGM with "David Copperfield  " A touching film that, with the performance of that boy, Freddie Bartholomew, could only have one result: "a box office success".

Thus, in view of its cost of $1.07M and its grossing of $3.06M, for the visionary and ambitious producer David O. Selznick, "Little Lord Fauntleroy" had already taken shape in his mind. And so, determined, he buys for $11,500 the rights to the novel from the previous copyright owner Mary Pickford and secures for her film, the performance of his little discovery Freddie Bartholomew.

Therefore, we are facing today's film and the first from the production company "Selznick International Pictures" Selznick's first film as his own producer and which, at a cost of $0.59M, had a collection of $1.2M . The film that made him the most benefits, of course, until in 1939 he produced a film that would bring him a collection, neither more nor less than, "the nonsense of": 400.76M $.

Without a doubt, the film, up to that moment, with the highest grossing in history. And, of course, a film that, in our "History of cinema " guide, marks the end of an era: the "Black and white film guide " and the beginning of another: the "Film guide: The years golden ". The name of the movie? Of course, it could only be one: "Gone with the Wind" A film that broke all the molds and that, for good old Selznick, earned him eight Oscars and two special awards. By the way, production with which the good David, in that same year, made him win the "Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award". The rest is another story.

Of course, a golden story, because the following year, after signing the director Alfred Hitchcock bringing from England, together with actresses of the height of Ingrid Bergman, Vivien Leigh and Joan Fontaine, he produced for 10 years, the best productions of the beginning of the Golden age of Hollywood as among others, were: 1940 - "Rebecca " winner of the Oscar for best film, 1944 - "Since You Went Away", 1945 - "Spellbound ", 1946 - "Duel in the Sun "

But returning to focus on the film that happens to us today, and it is that of this "Little Lord Fauntleroy" let's talk briefly about its realization. And I can tell you about it that the American director John Cromwell directed it, who also directed other films for Selznick, such as: 1937 - "The Prisoner of Zenda", 1944 - "Since You Went Away"

While his interpretation, as we all know, focused on the figure of child actor Freddie Bartholomew. A young boy who, after his appearance together with Greta Garbo in "Anna Karenina", starred in "David Copperfield " in 1935 and just a year later, this, "Little Lord Fauntleroy" Therefore, a "little Lord" of whom, to have more detailed information, you simply have to click on the "David Copperfield " link, to dive into his own history.

On the other hand, and on this occasion, I think he deserves a personal distinction, a certainly striking character, The Count of Dorincourt, played by actor Sir Aubrey Smith. In reality, a cricket player and whose unpleasant appearance, apart from fear, is drawn in interpretations of him a certainly ferret temperament. And it is that, if we remember him well, he is recognizable as a supporting actor in films such as: 1933 - "Morning Glory ", 1937 - "The Prisoner of Zenda", 1940 - "Rebecca", 1941 - "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ", and the 1949 remake of "Little Women" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Janet Leigh. Therefore, a whole secondary history, but one that is eclipsed, if we compare it with the main role he played in 1936, in this one, "Little Lord Fauntleroy" So, appealing to your memory, I quote you among the footage of these movies try to find out.

To finalize the interpretative section of this "little Lord", review the brief participation of another young man who, in the end, would be a great protagonist of, as well as brilliant, a very long career of almost 80 years in cinema. Therefore, playing all the registers in the art of interpretation: from comedies, to works of Shakespeare, such as the exuberant role he played in 1935 for "A Midsummer Night's Dream " and which, by the way, we already recommend. As well as, from the emblematic musicals of him with Judy Garland, to his performances on television, even going through Broadway musicals. In summary and deep down, "a great man" who appeared in more than 300 films and is considered one of the great icons of classic cinema. Well, who does not include him among the most famous child stars in the history of Hollywood. His name Mickey Rooney.

And, finally, in the supporting actors section and accompanying the young Freddie Bartholomew, we have the female role of the protagonist's mother who, increasing the tear-jerking section of this dramatic-children's film, is characterized by an angelic interpretation that, in the film embodies the actress Dolores Costello. Thus ending this very long interpretative section that we have dedicated to "Little Lord Fauntleroy".

To finish, let's talk about its technical aspects and I can tell you about this "Little Lord Fauntleroy", born from the imagination of the English writer Frances Hodgson Burnett and made into a film by the screenwriter Hugh Walpole. Justo, the same screenwriter who had written the script for "David Copperfield " the previous year, in 1935. Finally, we will say that its soundtrack was composed by the Hungarian-born composer Max Steiner and helped in the creation of its score by the orchestrator Bernhard Kaun.

And already, shelled this "little Lord", it only remains for you to enjoy it. To do this, I leave you, under the title page, the post published on Ok.ru and, under its trailer, the link to the full film in the original version. Therefore, to enjoy its contents, you just have to click on the chosen option.

Sinopsis: Ceddie, a poor boy from Brooklyn, becomes the heir to the title and fortune of an English earl. But the will contains a clause that forces him to live in England with his grandfather, an old curmudgeon with a cold and bitter character. (Filmaffinity)