Little Fugitive

I purchased this disc under the misapprehension I was buying the 1953 B/W original - instead, I received this color re-make. Writer/director Joanna Lipper has given the charmingly thoughtful 1953 original classic an up-dated screenplay - but her updates don't bring much improvement to the well- regarded story of two young brothers, after one runs away following a practical joke that goes wrong. As might be expected from modern-day movie makers, all the innocent charm that made the original a worldwide ground-breaking success - has been thrown to the wind and replaced with needless crass dialogue and sordid characters. The winsome words of a naive seven yr old have been forged into four-letter words and the various original characters turned into perverts or dysfunctional misfits.

Dad is now a prisoner (well played by Dwarf Peter Dinklage) while Mum works odd hrs and leaves the youngsters unattended while 'seeing' other love interests. The concerned, helpful Coney Island pony ride wrangler of the original - has been turned into a paedophile, who hits on the little runaway (just what every mod-movie needs) It also comes complete with a zip gun being recklessly used by the juniors (even against police) As it stands; this 'Little Fugitive' is just about unrecognisable and almost equally un-interesting.

If wanting to make a modern-day social comment film why choose a warm-hearted vintage classic to drag down - why not create another story or make a documentary? From the look of the film's track record, it has not resonated well with admirers of the original or with audiences of the day. One of the young performers turns in a neat performance (thankfully the main) but others tend to come across somewhat unconvincingly. This production can only really be seen as a misguided venture, and those who enjoyed the unique original should simply re-visit it again.

An interesting attempt to "update" the one of a kind classic, Little Fugitive made in 1953 by Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin, and Ray Ashley. (I'm not sure the term "remake" applies here). Beautifully photographed by Rick Sands and appealingly acted by David Castro and Nicolas Salgado. Peter Dinklage is typically powerful, but under used in a relatively small role. While it lacks the charm and depth of the 1954 film it is an honest and sincere effort to make some intellectualized statements about Coney Island's Dreamland and its premature baby in incubators and children from broken homes and dysfunctional families. Sometimes preachy but none the less an interesting directorial debut, by Joanna Lipper although one might question the advisability of a "remake" or "reworking" of a classic as a choice for her initial bow in narrative films.

Historically significant is a brief appearance in the film by Morris Engel (sitting on a skee ball machine), shortly before his death.