IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.
John Abbott
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Eddie Acuff
- Shipyard Worker
- (uncredited)
Iris Adrian
- Theatregoer
- (uncredited)
Murray Alper
- Soldier Leaving Theatre
- (uncredited)
George Anderson
- Businessman
- (uncredited)
Henry Armetta
- Barber
- (uncredited)
Charles Arnt
- Fred Stacy - Reporter
- (uncredited)
Nelroy Ashley
- Businesswoman
- (uncredited)
Vi Athens
- Chorus Girl
- (uncredited)
William Austin
- Assistant Hotel Manager
- (uncredited)
Art Baker
- Gabriel Heatter
- (uncredited)
Don Barclay
- Photographer
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRita Hayworth was originally assigned the role of Jeannie Thompson, and when she refused to do it, was placed on a nine week suspension without pay by the head of Columbia, Harry Cohn, and subsequently replaced by Janet Blair.
- Quotes
Jerry Flynn: What does the public need in times like these? Escape!
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "ONCE UPON A TIME: L'OTTAVA MERAVIGLIA (1944) + LA MOGLIE DEL VESCOVO (1947) + L'ORRIBILE VERITÀ (1937)" (3 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Being Ian: Once a Pawn a Time (2005)
- SoundtracksYes Sir, That's My Baby
(uncredited)
Music by Walter Donaldson
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Played often throughout the film
Featured review
Cary Grant got to extend his range in Once Upon A Time and at the same time make a family film that was guaranteed box office. Not a bad win-win situation for him.
The extension was having Grant play a not very nice show business producer who is now on his uppers. The theater he built in flush times is now threatened with foreclosure. But the answer just might be in the form of a young kid played by Ted Donaldson with a caterpillar which he keeps in a shoebox who actually gets up dances to the tune of Yes Sir That's My Baby.
This rhythmically endowed caterpillar is for real all right, if only Grant can get the marketing rights to him and make the public believe. After some tries that ended in flops he gets Art Baker who played real life radio news broadcaster Gabriel Heatter to see the caterpillar named Curly and give it the kind of radio plug the New York Sun gave to an editorial answer to Virginia's letter about Santa Claus.
But an offer from Walt Disney to add Curly to his Magic Kingdom now in formation is too good to pass up. But that would involve breaking young Donaldson's heart and also Grant would be running afoul of the young lad's sister, Janet Blair. Can Cary Grant be that big a heel?
Once Upon A Time is a charming fantasy that I'm surprised no one has thought of remaking except the Japanese who did a short subject animated version of this story in the Sixties. I can certainly Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes doing a version of this story, maybe having Justin Bieber play the kid. Instead of Walt Disney they could sell him to Steven Spielberg and a known internet blogger could break the story.
I want some screen credit if someone reads this review and sells the idea to Tom Cruise. Until then this is still a fine family film that holds up well even if people today have no idea who Gabriel Heatter was.
The extension was having Grant play a not very nice show business producer who is now on his uppers. The theater he built in flush times is now threatened with foreclosure. But the answer just might be in the form of a young kid played by Ted Donaldson with a caterpillar which he keeps in a shoebox who actually gets up dances to the tune of Yes Sir That's My Baby.
This rhythmically endowed caterpillar is for real all right, if only Grant can get the marketing rights to him and make the public believe. After some tries that ended in flops he gets Art Baker who played real life radio news broadcaster Gabriel Heatter to see the caterpillar named Curly and give it the kind of radio plug the New York Sun gave to an editorial answer to Virginia's letter about Santa Claus.
But an offer from Walt Disney to add Curly to his Magic Kingdom now in formation is too good to pass up. But that would involve breaking young Donaldson's heart and also Grant would be running afoul of the young lad's sister, Janet Blair. Can Cary Grant be that big a heel?
Once Upon A Time is a charming fantasy that I'm surprised no one has thought of remaking except the Japanese who did a short subject animated version of this story in the Sixties. I can certainly Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes doing a version of this story, maybe having Justin Bieber play the kid. Instead of Walt Disney they could sell him to Steven Spielberg and a known internet blogger could break the story.
I want some screen credit if someone reads this review and sells the idea to Tom Cruise. Until then this is still a fine family film that holds up well even if people today have no idea who Gabriel Heatter was.
- bkoganbing
- Sep 10, 2010
- Permalink
- How long is Once Upon a Time?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Alexander Hall's Once Upon a Time
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Black and White(original release)
- Black and White
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content