This is one of the most overtly sentimental and schmaltzy films I have seen in ages. It stars a child star (Sybil Jason) that is so adorable and perfect that she is tough to take seriously...and may induce comas in the diabetic. In support are Robert Armstrong (of "King Kong" fame), Edward Everett Horton and Glenda Farrell.
The film begins with Armstrong and Horton as a pair of two-bit chiselers. They are penny ante con men and are constantly in financial straits. When they meet an old friend, the friend and the two men mistakenly think the other is rich and they go out to dinner. The old friend brings along his sickeningly adorable moppet (Jason) and he soon runs away--the mob is trying to kill him AND he thinks Armstrong and Horton are so rich they won't mind keeping the kid until he can return. However, seconds later he's gunned down and the two men are stuck with the kid...and a mountains of debts.
The rest of the film consists of Armstrong trying to extricate himself from a variety of predicaments AND keep the kid. However, when the child's predicament is eventually discovered by the court, she's placed in an orphanage and the two men do everything they can to get her back.
The film has a ridiculously impossible but very exciting ending. I particularly like Horton in the finale, but the whole thing works so well that I could forget that the film was 100% contrived. But, this combined with the nauseating cuteness of Jason will most likely make this very tough going for most who try to watch it. It's entertaining but not one of Hollywood's finer moments.
The film begins with Armstrong and Horton as a pair of two-bit chiselers. They are penny ante con men and are constantly in financial straits. When they meet an old friend, the friend and the two men mistakenly think the other is rich and they go out to dinner. The old friend brings along his sickeningly adorable moppet (Jason) and he soon runs away--the mob is trying to kill him AND he thinks Armstrong and Horton are so rich they won't mind keeping the kid until he can return. However, seconds later he's gunned down and the two men are stuck with the kid...and a mountains of debts.
The rest of the film consists of Armstrong trying to extricate himself from a variety of predicaments AND keep the kid. However, when the child's predicament is eventually discovered by the court, she's placed in an orphanage and the two men do everything they can to get her back.
The film has a ridiculously impossible but very exciting ending. I particularly like Horton in the finale, but the whole thing works so well that I could forget that the film was 100% contrived. But, this combined with the nauseating cuteness of Jason will most likely make this very tough going for most who try to watch it. It's entertaining but not one of Hollywood's finer moments.