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:

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

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:

song | singer | singing | wealthy family | poor family | 

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Taglines:

Entertainment by Joe Pasternek...Producer of the Deanna Durbin Hits! (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Palace Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - Nov. 16, 1939)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

In real life Gloria Jean and Shirley Mills have remained very good friends throughout their lives.

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Connections

Followed by A Little Bit of Heaven (1940)

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Soundtracks

Choir Song
(uncredited)
Music by Carl Reinecke

User Reviews

High School Coeds

I'm thinking that Deanna Durbin was busy on something else and also that Universal Pictures decided it needed a backup Durbin is the reason that Gloria Jean made her film debut in The Under-Pup. As good a reason as any for the film to be made and enjoyed. Not too much variation for Gloria Jean in the traditional Durbin little miss fix-it part.

Gloria gets a scholarship to go to a girl's summer camp that's reserved for the rich and snooty. Ann Gillis is the richest and snootiest there, a sort of greatest generation version of a Mean Girl, but Gloria overcomes and even gains a friend in the person of Virginia Weidler.

The place is run by Beulah Bondi with counselors Bob Cummings and Nan Grey to assist. The girls for dress wear these military outfits and the place has a marching theme which is John Philip Sousa's High School Cadets with some lyrics added.

Others in the cast are C. Aubrey Smith as Gloria's grandfather and Raymond Walburn as Gillis's father who has spoiled her rotten. Billy Gilbert is there as the cook for the camp with two bratty sons and Gilbert does his usual shtick.

The Under-Pup holds up pretty well with its two main assets, Gloria Jean's singing and the great cast Universal surrounded her with.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Under-Pup

Filming Locations:

Roos Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains, 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