Maman déteste la police

A mystery writer's three kids help solve a neighborhood murder and help find their widowed mom a boyfriend.

The kids are the whole show, and what a talented pre-teen cast they are. Garner & co. even make their sometimes adult dialog sound engaging instead of obnoxious. At times, the chemistry between the kids is little short of amazing, a credit, I expect, to director Bacon. Forget the whodunit thread, which is really just an excuse to stir the youthful pot. But I'm still a bit puzzled by the macho Randolph Scott appearing in a slice of juvenile hi-jinks like this. I guess I'm too used to seeing him with a six-gun and a cowboy hat.

That same year the talented Garner would star in the charming coming-of-age comedy Junior Miss (1946), also worth catching up with. Stockwell, of course, is still with us, having managed that difficult transition to adult roles, some of which are a long way from his mischievously wholesome Archie. However, it looks like the equally talented Connie Marshall fell afoul of the transition barrier, having unfortunately died in relative obscurity.

Nonetheless, this charming little comedy remains a sleeper among kid movies, and a permanent testimonial to an engagingly youthful cast.