Little Men (1940)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Louisa May Alcott (novel)
Mark Kelly (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 November 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Jo March and her husband Professor Bhaer operate the Plumfield School for poor boys. When Dan, a tough street kid...

Plot Keywords:

School | Foreclosure | Truancy | Bull | Smoking

Cast

Kay Francis	...	Jo March
Jack Oakie	...	Willie the Fox
George Bancroft	...	Major Burdle
Jimmy Lydon	...	Dan
Ann Gillis	...	Nan
Carl Esmond	...	Professor Bhaer (as Charles Esmond)
Richard Nichols	...	Teddy
Casey Johnson	...	Robby
Francesca Santoro	...	Bess
Johnny Burke	...	Silas
Lillian Randolph	...	Asia
Sammy McKim	...	Tommy
Edward Rice	...	Demi
Anne Howard	...	Daisy
Jimmy Zahner	...	Jack (as Jimmy Zaner)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6514) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

The Play's The Thing Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Although Elsie the Cow is billed 8th playing Buttercup as "'Elsie' - The Moo Girl of the New York World's Fair" in the opening credits, she is billed last (26th) in the end credits, simply as 'Elsie' playing 'Buttercup.' In 1939, she was quite famous, appearing in ads for the Borden Milk Co.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Shirley Temple's Storybook: Little Men (#2.6)" (1960)

Soundtrack:

Roll Jordan Roll

Does not star Danny DeVito

Though I wasn't a big fan of the original and the countless remakes of the original Little Women, for some odd reason I really enjoyed Little Men, though the title is a bit misleading, there's only one 'little man' to speak of, he's the one growing up in this movie, But I'm guessing this continues where Little Women left off?? I know the character Jo from Little Women (I began to watch Little Women, but I didn't finish it, so excuse my ignorance), I guess she has her own private school for kids now. They're of various ages. The plot involves a Father who gets into one shady business deal after another who decides to send his adopted boy to school to legitimately educate him. However, the way the boy was brought up and the way the school operates don't exactly add up. And also, the school is wowed by the Father so much to trust him with the school finances (something, well, I find a little hard to believe), and oh yeah, the school is seriously running arrears of it's bills! So there's all these little things happening, but it's not too overly difficult to follow what's going on, and even the kids will enjoy this movie.

Best moment: when Jo and her new student go into the barn, Bessie the cow volunteering to go in with them and starts mooing VERY loudly.