LITTLE MO

US, 1978, 150 minutes, Colour.
Glynnis O’ Connor, Anne Baxter, Michael Learned, Claude Akins, Anne Francis, Mark Harmon, Tony Trabert, Martin Milner, Leslie Nielson.
Directed by Daniel Haller.

A long telemovie biography of Maureen Connolly, the fifties' tennis champion whose very successful career was cut short by an accident as she turned twenty. Maureen Connolly achieved champion status at the age of sixteen and won Wimbledon three times before her accident.

The film sketches in her family life and background for the television audience. The tennis match sequences are interesting, but rely very much on close-up rather than showing the skill of each particular game and the various shots.

The film is attractive and entertaining on a popular magazine article level. Anne Baxter has quite a good role as Little Mo’s mother and Michael Lerner is the relentless coach. There is good support from such regular telemovie stars as Anne Francis, Leslie Nielson. However, the strength of the film relies on Glynnis O’ Connor's presence and her attractive interpretation of Maureen Connolly. She combines the blend of killer instinct and hope for achievement With charm. The audience response to Maureen Connolly's career depends very much on their interest in and identification with Glynnis O’ Connor. Glynnis O' Connor appeared in such films as Jeremy, Ode to Billy Joe, Baby Blue Marine. Direction is by Daniel Haller, who has directed a wide range of telemovies - with no particular distinction though with competence.

1. An interesting and entertaining telemovie? Audience knowledge of and interest in Maureen Connolly? Her place as a successful professional sportswoman, an American sportswoman, International champion? The world of tennis? The film as a sports film?

2. The perennial appeal of biography films? A portrait of the person and personality, a celebrity? Audience interest in life behind the public scenes and success? The explanation of a personality?

3. The telemovie treatment of the career of Maureen Connolly? Geared for a wide and popular audience? Telemovie qualities for interest. presentation of the human interest sequences, the sport? The length of the film?

4. The film's structure: the echoes of This Is Your Life? The narrative and the comment on the behaviour as well as relationships? The opening with the accident and the significance of the flashbacks with the accident? The moving forward from the accident to the brief treatment of Little Mo’s life after her professional career? The moving towards her death? The film presenting the highlights of her life, an explanation of her personality and success, a tribute?

5. The world of San Diego in the forties and fifties - bungalows, tennis clubs, sports, school? Family life - the abandoned wife, outings, work? California? The transition to tennis as popular sport, to the professional world. to American championships, to Wimbledon?

6. The popularity of tennis as a sport. its appeal to the telemovie audience? The presentation of the game and its skills? How well did the film explain tennis to those not familiar with the game? The film as enhancing the popularity and status of tennis?

7. Maureen Connolly and her ambitions for success, as illustrated in her playing baseball with the kids, her picking up tennis balls, her coaching, her changing hands for playing, her relentless drive? The importance of achievement? The importance of temperament? The killer instinct and the drive for success?

8. The portrait of Maureen as a young girl? At home, her relationship with her mother, the absence of her father, Aunt Gert and her wisdom and financial support? The bond between mother and daughter and their understanding? The problems of money and the hurt to Maureen's tennis playing? Her mother's continued support of her, especially in going to see Wilbur Folsom? Gus and his going out with Jess, his criticisms of Maureen, his laying down the law, the eventual confrontation and his leaving? The bond with Wilbur Folsom, the training, her disappointments, changing hand, competitiveness and not winning, the moving on and learning by experience and ultimate success?

9. The human dramatics with the personality of Gus and his opposition, the pressure on Jean? Her story and sense of failure, her piano playing? Gert and the continued support? Jean as loser and Maureen as winner?

10. Wilbur and his promoting of Maureen as far as he could, the handing over to Nelson and Sophie and their sponsoring Maureen. the change of name to Little Mo? The continued help of the couple throughout her career?

11. The importance of Elinor Tennant as coach? Her comments and narrative, her skills, her rules and her hard attitude, Maureen's initial breaking the rule with Tony Trabert (and his authentic presence in the film) and the appeal to "Teach"? Teach and her training of Maureen in technique. sustaining her, the clashes? How much did Little Mo depend upon Teach? The importance of the clash at Wimbledon and the break of sixteen years’ friendship? The importance of Teach going to ace her at the end and replaying the scene with the throwing of the racquets?

12.. The quality of the tennis sequences, the American competitions, the small insertion of newsreel material, the Wimbledon championship games?

13. The psychology of playing and winning, the clashes, Maureen being in a hurry, her age, sense of timing? The devices Teach used to spur her to win, the deceptions. the antagonisms? Her mother and her support? Sophie and her participation in the morale-boosting?

14. The clash at Wimbledon, her getting tests done and clashing with Teach, her going on to win? The San Diego welcome?

15. The build-up to the accident? What it meant in terms of tennis playing, her decision to keep her log and walk again? The background of her romance. the background of a sailor and his not being present, his coming to her side? The marriage, the children?

16. The tragedy of her cancer, the build-up to her death? Teach's visit? Maureen coaching the young girl and this symbolizing the significance of her life?

17. How well did the film portray Maureen Connolly as a person, as a professional sportswoman? Glynnis O'Connor's charm and skill in sustaining the film? Themes of success, technical excellence, professionalism? How appropriate a popular tribute to an American sportswoman?