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, Stanley Tucci, Joan Cusack

2 wins & 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:

girl | house | great depression | boarding house | ohio | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 July 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mystery

Filming Locations:

58 Baby Point Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$220,297, 22 June 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$17,655,201, 5 October 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Picturehouse, 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

Lesley Barber was originally hired as the composer for the film. Some of her score remains in the finished film.

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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

Followed by An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (2009)

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Soundtracks

My Shawl
Written and Performed by Xavier Cugat
Courtesy of Stanyan Music, LLC
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

Phony and Predictable

Inspired by a popular doll, this film about a family struggling to make ends meet during the depression of the 1930s is entertaining if formulaic and predictable. Everybody is so nice and politically correct that it's enough to induce nausea for adult viewers, which is OK because this one is aimed at tweeners and young teens who read the American Girl books. The filmmakers have thrown in every cliché one can think of and the schmaltz meter hits a pretty high score by the time the happy ending (this should not be a spoiler for anyone) comes around. The cast has a lot of familiar faces and Breslin does look like the doll.