El eterno pretendiente

one of many comedies from ''40's . not good, not bad but interesting for the chain of clichés and for the unrealistic story. in fact, only a film with Cary Grant in an ironic role and same atmosphere of period as a kind of jazz club room. nothing new, nothing special. only a nice film for waste the time. its virtue - maybe remembering the art to explore and use a idea for a complicated story who , far to be real bad, it seems be only chaotic. a kind of parable about life, virtues and the love who remains the real prize. Janet Blair does a decent job and James Gleason is the pillar of this not inspired story who saves small parts of it. a film about a meeting and a childish lead hero. that is all. only an old fashion movie with Cary Grant, alternative for contemporary blockbusters.

Cary Grant got to extend his range in Once Upon A Time and at the same time make a family film that was guaranteed box office. Not a bad win-win situation for him.

The extension was having Grant play a not very nice show business producer who is now on his uppers. The theater he built in flush times is now threatened with foreclosure. But the answer just might be in the form of a young kid played by Ted Donaldson with a caterpillar which he keeps in a shoebox who actually gets up dances to the tune of Yes Sir That's My Baby.

This rhythmically endowed caterpillar is for real all right, if only Grant can get the marketing rights to him and make the public believe. After some tries that ended in flops he gets Art Baker who played real life radio news broadcaster Gabriel Heatter to see the caterpillar named Curly and give it the kind of radio plug the New York Sun gave to an editorial answer to Virginia's letter about Santa Claus.

But an offer from Walt Disney to add Curly to his Magic Kingdom now in formation is too good to pass up. But that would involve breaking young Donaldson's heart and also Grant would be running afoul of the young lad's sister, Janet Blair. Can Cary Grant be that big a heel?

Once Upon A Time is a charming fantasy that I'm surprised no one has thought of remaking except the Japanese who did a short subject animated version of this story in the Sixties. I can certainly Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes doing a version of this story, maybe having Justin Bieber play the kid. Instead of Walt Disney they could sell him to Steven Spielberg and a known internet blogger could break the story.

I want some screen credit if someone reads this review and sells the idea to Tom Cruise. Until then this is still a fine family film that holds up well even if people today have no idea who Gabriel Heatter was.

This was a wonderful radio play Norman Corwin wrote for CBS Radio in the 1940s. It starred Fred Allen, and because it was during the infamous Petrillo Musician's Union Strike, the background music was vocalized by a chorus. I was charmed by it then, but felt then (and now) that the imaginative quality of the radio play would be diminished in a film. I also felt Allen would be far better than Cary Grant in the lead role. But Allen would have sold far fewer tickets.

This movie is a perfect example of the innocence of children and the rude awakening to reality we all experience. Rather fanciful plot is a wonderful metaphor for life and love. Very heartwarming with a brilliant ending.

I don't remember how I discovered this little gem, but I'm glad I did.

I found it very funny. Grant is a bit of a rogue wanting to sell Curley for a hundred grand to Disney.

For me, it's an old time Hollywood ovie that is throroughly entertaining. Glad I found it!

Litle known fact: Disney did the animation at the end.