Wee Willie Winkie (1937)

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Julien Josephson (writer)
Rudyard Kipling (story)

Release Date:

30 July 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Plot:

Cherubic, adorable, and precocious Priscilla Williams lives in Colonial India with her dad, a Colonel...

Plot Keywords:

Lieutenant | Major | Sergeant | Colonel | Captain

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Shirley Temple	...	Priscilla 'Winkie' Williams
Victor McLaglen	...	Sgt. Donald MacDuff
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Col. Williams
June Lang	...	Joyce Williams
Michael Whalen	...	Lt. 'Coppy' Brandes
Cesar Romero	...	Khoda Khan
Constance Collier	...	Mrs. Allardyce
Douglas Scott	...	Pvt. Mott - Drummer Boy
Gavin Muir	...	Capt. Bibberbeigh
Willie Fung	...	Mohammaudin
Brandon Hurst	...	Bagby - Col. Williams's Valet
Lionel Pape	...	Maj. Allardyce
Clyde Cook	...	Pipe Major Sneath
Bunny Beatty	...	Miss Elsie Allardyce (as Lauri Beatty)
Lionel Braham	...	Maj. Gen. Hammond

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original story by Rudyard Kipling was about a boy, Percival Williams, but this was changed to a girl, Priscilla Williams, in order for Shirley Temple to play the role.

Quotes:

Priscilla Williams: [on her new nickname] Wee Willie Winkie. It does sound like a soldier, doesn't it?
Sgt. Donald MacDuff: Aye.
Priscilla Williams: Then I'd be Private Winkie!
Sgt. Donald MacDuff: Private Winkie it is. A full-fledged soldier of the Queen!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Being Julia (2004)

Soundtrack:

Auld Lang Syne

A Passage to India

Rudyard Kipling's story serves as the basis for this excellent John Ford film. Mr. Ford, one of America's best directors of all times, got probably a fantastic budget to get this movie made. It paid well as we are given a great account of Mr. Kipling's novel by the man who knew about how to make movies come alive.

This was obviously a Shirley Temple vehicle. Ms. Temple was one of the best child actress of all times. Whenever she is in front of the camera, this little girl has a way of stealing the viewer's heart. In all the films we have seen, this seems to be her best, and in fact, Ms. Temple always speaks about her fond memories about this movie.

Of course, this film wouldn't have worked the way it did, had it not been by the amazing performance by Victor McLaglen, who as Sgt. MacDuff, befriends the little girl that has come to live at the headquarters where he is serving. His roughness are tamed by the love he feels toward young Priscilla.

John Ford got excellent performances from everyone, but of course, Shirley Temple and Victor McLaglen run away with the film and our admiration. C. Aubrey Smith, the distinguished actor makes a great appearance as the Colonel in charge of the outpost in India. Cesar Romero is also good as the rebel Khoda Kahn. June Lang plays Priscilla's mother and Michael Whalen is "Coppy", the man who falls for the young girl's widowed mother.

This is a film that will delight anyone, young or old, because it is a timeless classic, thanks to John Ford.