Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)

Set in Cincinnati at the height of the Great Depression, Kit Kittredge, a resourceful young girl, helps her mother run a boardinghouse after her father loses his job.

Director:

Patricia Rozema

Writers:

Ann Peacock, Valerie Tripp (Kit Kittredge stories)

Stars:

Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Joan Cusack

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abigail Breslin	...	Kit Kittredge
Julia Ormond	...	Margaret Kittredge
Chris O'Donnell	...	Jack Kittredge
Jane Krakowski	...	Miss Dooley
Wallace Shawn	...	Mr. Gibson
Max Thieriot	...	Will Shepherd
Willow Smith	...	Countee
Glenne Headly	...	Mrs. Howard
Zach Mills	...	Stirling Howard
Kenneth Welsh	...	Uncle Hendrick
Madison Davenport	...	Ruthie Smithens
Joan Cusack	...	Miss Bond
Stanley Tucci	...	Jefferson Berk
Dylan Smith	...	Frederich
Douglas Nyback	...	Billy

Storyline

'Kit Kittredge: An American Mystery' centers around a young girl living in the struggles of the Great Depression. 10 year old Kit lives in a boarding house her parents own in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has a passion for writing, & dreams of having something of hers put in the local paper someday. With the help of her friends, Sterling & Ruthie, will her dream finally come true?

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Plot Keywords:

great depression | girl | ohio | boarding house | 10 year old | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 July 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

An American Girl Mystery

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$220,297 (USA) (20 June 2008)

Gross:

$17,655,201 (USA) (3 October 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Picturehouse Entertainment, New Line Cinema, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in 27 days.

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Goofs

When Kitt gives the Cincinnati Register Editor her stories to read, they are in a portfolio envelope. When the Editor opens the portfolio, he removes an attached, corded elastic band which was stretched around the portfolio. Corded elastic bands for these types of thin cardboard portfolios did not exist in 1934. These envelopes would be tied with an attached, flattened cloth grosgrain ribbon type of tie.

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Quotes

Kit Kittredge: [very serious] Do you swear allegiance to the Treehuse Club?
Florence Stone: [solemn] I do.
Kit Kittredge: And if the Ninth Street Club asks you to join their club?
Florence Stone: I will laugh in their faces.
Frances Stone: [whispering] Florence! You're *supposed* to say, 'I will decline'!
Florence Stone: Oh.
[very seriously]
Florence Stone: I will decline... and laugh.

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Connections

Follows An American Girl Holiday (2004)

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Soundtracks

"It's Only a Paper Moon"
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg (as E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) and Billy Rose
Performed by Cliff Edwards
Courtesy of Sony BMG Music Entertainment
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

User Reviews

wonderful movie

I took my grandchild to see this movie and was truly shocked. How could a movie this good come out of Hollywood? The characters were believable, the plot interesting, there were humans instead of androids in this movie, there was no sex, violence, or bad language in it, and this old lady LOVED it. So did my 7 year old grandchild. Why haven't they been making movies like this for years?

Usually when I take a child to the movies, I am saddened by the experience. Where are all the wonderful, wholesome productions of yesteryear that entertained one and educated at the same time? This movie did both. My grandchild knew nothing about the Depression, so I explained the time in very simple terms. She seemed to get it, and loved the way the story had a good ending where the main character had a personal triumph and a family endured adversity.

Take your kids to see this movie. You will be proud and not embarrassed.