The Under-Pup (1939)

A young city girl from a poor family is invited to spend the summer at a camp for girls from wealthy families. At first made fun of and ridiculed because of her background, she determines ... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Wallace

Writers:

Grover Jones, I.A.R. Wylie (story)

Stars:

Gloria Jean, Robert Cummings, Nan Grey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gloria Jean	...	Pip-Emma Binns
Robert Cummings	...	Dennis King
Nan Grey	...	Priscilla Adams
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Grandpa
Beulah Bondi	...	Miss Thornton
Virginia Weidler	...	Janet Cooper
Margaret Lindsay	...	Mrs. Cooper
Raymond Walburn	...	Mr. Layton
Ann Gillis	...	Letty Lou
Paul Cavanagh	...	Mr. Franklin Cooper
Billy Gilbert	...	Tolio
Kenneth Brown	...	Tolio's Son
Billy Lenhart	...	Tolio's Son
Frank Jenks	...	Uncle Dan
Shirley Mills	...	Cecilia Layton

Storyline

A young city girl from a poor family is invited to spend the summer at a camp for girls from wealthy families. At first made fun of and ridiculed because of her background, she determines to show the snooty rich girls she's just as good as they are.

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Plot Keywords:

uniform

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Genres:

Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Traquina Querida

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on April 15, 1940 with Robert Cummings reprising his film role.

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Connections

References Mad About Music (1938)

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Soundtracks

"Shepherd's Lullaby"
(uncredited)
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

User Reviews

A charming film chronicling an idealized childhood.

This lightweight musical depicts a world we would all like to think actually existed. It's a depression-era film that was made to give audiences some fantasy escape from harsh reality. Pip-Emma, the girl played by Gloria Jean is not really a tomboy, but she's a tough yet vulnerable, spunky kid who wants more out of life and isn't afraid to stand up for herself and take what she can, as long as nobody gets hurt. Her moral crises in the film comes about when she loses her nerve after repeated rejections by the power elite to which she has attempted to prove herself. The film is essentially about standing up to adversity and believing in oneself. The fact that it's filled with bright and shinning young people and pretty music just makes the moral that much more palatable. It hard to say just how well it would play with young people today, but it's so inherently sweet and honest, I would like to think they would enjoy it as well as the audiences of the time.