White Banners

WHITE BANNERS has a couple of very odd but satisfying plots running through the film. The first involves Fay Bainter who plays a woman who just moves in with a family and becomes the perfect housekeeper--in many ways a lot like an earlier incarnation of Mary Poppins! However, her hidden agenda and why she works for mere "peanuts" is interesting and unfolds throughout the film. The "why" exactly isn't all that hard to predict--there are lots of pretty obvious clues thrown out to the audience. The second plot, and this IS an odd one, is about Rains and Cooper working together to try to create the first home electric refrigerator and sell the idea. While this may sound dull, I actually liked this--it reminded me a lot of movies like YOUNG TOM EDISON.

This is not exactly a perfect movie, but I enjoyed it and appreciate how the studio at least tried something different. Plus, some of the performances were very good. Claude Rains was his usual wonderful self, but I also appreciate the teen parts played by Jackie Cooper and Bonita Granville--Bonita was bouncy like a teen and it was nice to see Jackie doing a more mature role than what he'd been previously doing for MGM when he was a bit younger. Also, Fay Bainter was generally excellent, but there were a few times when her character seemed a bit "sappy" and too good to be true. The bottom line is that this is an excellent movie and a good one for old movie buffs who want a change of pace.