Il piccolo Lord

The young Rick(y) Schroder is delightful as the displaced and uprooted Little Lord Fauntleroy/Ceddie. Consider the beautiful English countryside as an important member of a stellar cast; mixed together it would be difficult to make anything but an excellent film.

That innocent young Fauntleroy melts the heart of his cantankerous grandfather played by Alec Guinness is hardly surprising. It is the typical Christmas good overcoming evil theme in the best Charles Dickens tradition. It is the path of the film, the actors and the setting that make this a jewel. The plot goes something like this: Grandfather sends for grandson.

Grandson assumes love, Grandfather is looking for an heir.

Heir becomes loved grandson.

There are subplots of grandfather not liking American mother/daughter-in-law and refusing to acknowledge her; the deplorable conditions of the estate's workers; and a contender for heir to the title and estate.

I watched this gem when it first aired and have watched my poorly transferred VHS copy yearly since (in my household it wouldn't be Christmas without it).

I long for this made-for-TV movie to be released on a remastered DVD.