Little Man, What Now? (1934)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

Hans Fallada (novel)
William Anthony McGuire (writer)

Release Date:

1 May 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A young couple struggling against poverty must keep their marriage a secret in order for the husband to keep his job, as his boss doesn't like to hire married men. |

Plot Keywords:

Poverty | Newlywed | Stepmother | Loss Of Job | Germany

Cast

Margaret Sullavan	...	Emma 'Lammchen' Pinneberg
Douglass Montgomery	...	Hans Pinneberg
Alan Hale	...	Holger Jachman
Catherine Doucet	...	Mia Pinneberg
DeWitt Jennings	...	Emil Kleinholz
G.P. Huntley	...	Herr Heilbutt
Muriel Kirkland	...	Marie Kleinholz
Fred Kohler	...	Karl Goebbler
Mae Marsh	...	Wife of Karl Goebbler
Donald Haines	...	Emil Kleinholz Jr.
Christian Rub	...	Herr Puttbreese
Alan Mowbray	...	Franz Schluter

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Movie Connections:

Version of Kleiner Mann - was nun? (1933)

Ravishing cinematography, lovely story (with a dark edge)

One of the most heartbreaking, swoon-inducing film experiences I've ever had is 1934's "Little Man, What Now?"

It's about a young couple, with a child, struggling against poverty and a steady stream of bad luck in early 1930's Germany. It's an American film, but at times it almost plays like a piece of European cinema. The atmosphere is thick and the story isn't afraid to drift into areas that are a bit dark (and daring in a pre-code sense). It has a sentimental streak for sure, but the sentiment is never turned on at the expense of intelligence.

Another stand out quality of the film is it's almost painfully gorgeous cinematography. The world of the film is like a dream or like something from a storybook. Sunlight shines against water and trees and grass with a pristine silvery glow. Faces are shown in the most lovely light. Margaret Sullavan, especially, is shot in a way that practically makes you fall in love with her.

This is a true jewel of obscure 1930's cinema, rarely shown and, as of this writing, not available on any home video format. See it the first chance you get. It is a must for the classic movie enthusiast who feels like they've seen everything.