Starring Bobby Breen, Dolores Costello, Charlie Ruggles, and Robert Barrat
Directed by Edward F. Cline
Music by Frank Churchill and Victor Young; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Bobby Breen was another RKO response to Shirley Temple, as well as Deanna Durbin at Universal. Like Durbin, he was a child soprano who could pull off opera and pop songs; like Temple, he was an ultra-cute kid whose vehicles tended towards cheer-up ditties and melodrama. You get a little of both here, along with another cute kid, the child figure skating star Irene Dare. We met Irene earlier this month in Everything's On Ice; how does this story of another child being exploited for their talent compare to hers? Let's begin among the Mennoites religious sect in rural Pennsylvania and find out...
The Story: Tommy (Breen) and Martha (Costello) Martin are hoping to return to Kansas to work on their farm after recovering from her husband's death at the home of her brother William (Barrat) and Annie (Dorothy Peterson) Decker. They'll need $92 to get home. William writes Martha's suitor Henry (John "Dusty" King) against her wishes, but Tommy tears up the letter. He sells old newspapers to Mr. Terwilliger (Ruggles) the antique dealer, but loses 20 dollars in one of the newspapers.
After his uncle punishes him for singing non-religious songs on the farm, Tommy runs away with Mr. Terwilliger to Philadelphia. There, he first gets a job clearing the ice for figure skating marvel Irene Dare's (herself) ice shows. After the owners hear him singing, they promote him to performing before Irene's shows. Tommy, however, just wants to go home...and he's not thrilled when he figures out what Terwillger's doing with the money. Not to mention, his uncle now believes him to be a thief and thinks he stole the money. Tommy has to corral Terwilliger and figure out what happened to that missing 20 dollars in order to clear his name.
The Song and Dance: I can see why Breen was popular. He was a sweet boy, and he did have charm. Irene's just as adorable here as she was in Everything's On Ice the next year. Her two numbers are highpoints of the film. Ruggles gets some good moments as the old con-man who sees Tommy as his ticket to untold riches. And this is pretty much the only movie I know of to be set among the Mennonite religious sect. That alone makes it a little different.
Favorite Number: The song that gets Tommy into trouble with his uncle is the most innocuous you can imagine - the cheery "Put Your Heart Into a Song." He's "Tellin' My Troubles to a Mule" when he and Terwilliger are on the road. "The Sunny Side of Things" gets him the job at the ice rink when he's cleaning up the ice. He open and closes the movie with the lilting "Happy as a Lark," the finale version done in a montage of him happy on the farm.
Irene gets two big numbers. She has a simple solo shortly after Tommy starts working at the rink, all spins and leaps. Tommy's "Goodbye, My Dreams, Goodbye" leads into Irene's number with a chorus of clowns. She leaps easily over them, then skates with one who spins and twirls her around.
What I Don't Like: Almost every adult in this movie is a complete jerk or lets the other adults run over them and the kids. Tommy's uncle jumps way too hard to conclusions about him being a thief without hearing his side of the story, and his mother does nothing to stop or contradict him. Terwilliger only cares about exploiting the boy, much like Irene's uncle did in Everything's On Ice. The sugary songs frankly sound all alike and are pretty dull. Irene's solo isn't bad, but her clown routine is absurd and a little creepy. Not to mention, the Mennonites aren't exactly shown in the best light.
The Big Finale: Only for major fans of Breen or figure skating.
Home Media: Not currently on disc, but it can be found for free on Tubi with commercials.
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