ONCE UPON A TIME
US, 1944, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Cary Grant, Janet Blair, James Gleason, Ted Donaldson, Howard Freeman, William Demarest, Art Baker, John Abbott.
Directed by Alexander Hall.
Once Upon a Time is a World War Two fable, a radio play, Client Curley, designed to build American morale by cheerfulness. It focuses on the owner of a Broadway theatre who is out of funds and who encounters a young boy with a dancing caterpillar. At least the caterpillar dances only to "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby". The producer befriends the boy, but ultimately wants to betray him by selling the caterpillar to Walt Disney. The film is whimsical and sentimental - a pleasing kind of story of World War Two.
Cary Grant is somewhat supercilious at times as the producer. However he gets sympathetic support from James Gleason as his agent, Janet Blair as the boy's sister, William Demarest as the sceptical reporter. Ted Donaldson is engaging as the young boy. Finally, Curley is seen as a butterfly (presented by animation rather than real life).
Direction is by Alexander Hall who made a number of comedies and musicals at Columbia in the '40s with stars like Rosalind Russell and Melvyn Douglas.
1. An entertaining fable? Whimsy and sentiment? For the 1940s audience? Later decades?
2. Black and white photography, the atmosphere of New York? Animation for the butterfly? The use of 'Yes, Sir, That's My Baby'? Musical score?
3. The title and the introduction with the focus on fable, stories, yarns?
4. Cary Grant as Jerry Flynn, his flops, reputation, building his own theatre, ego? Out of money? The pressure from the bankers? His friendship with Moke? Wanting to raise the money? Throwing away the coin, the encounter with the boys, friendliness, seeing the dancing caterpillar? His entrepreneur style? The partnership with Pinky? The antagonism of Jeanne? His taking on Pinky, the use of the media: Gabriel Heater and his radio fable? Brand and his scepticism? Jerry's skill at exploiting the media, keeping the story going, with contacts with Walt Disney's agent? The sponsors? The scientists and their scepticism, the test, their change of heart, his publicising this? The desperate need for money? His decision to deceive Pinky, sell the caterpillar? Pinky's running away, the clash between the two, his hitting him? Pinky calling him mean? Seeing him as a model, reacting against him? His change of heart? Isolation, the boys rounding him up and taking him to Pinky's? The reconciliation with Pinky? With Jeanne? The fact that Curley became a butterfly? His willingness to give up his theatre, his gaining it back again? Happy ending?
5. Pinky and his friends, the caterpillar and its dancing? The audience never seeing Curley dance but imagining it? The playing of the music? His honesty about the coin? Friendship with Jerry, admiring him, Becoming partners? Jeanne's reaction? Their planning their tactics against Jeanne? His mixing then up but playing the game? The new clothes, media conferences? The testing by the scientists? His happiness, the betrayal, his being hit by Jerry? His wanting to run away? The reconciliation? The learning that the caterpillar had to become a butterfly and be free?
6. Moke and his friendliness, sticking with Jerry? Having to do the dirty job of taking the caterpillar and sending it to California? His drinking? Telling Pinky the story? Good-hearted?
7. Brand, the papers, the journalists, scepticism, apology?
8. Jeanne and her work in the chorus, suspicions of Jerry, care for Pinky, her change of heart, the clothes, the final confrontation, reconciliation?
9. The scientists and their presumption, their pomposity, the tests, their delight in seeing the caterpillar dance?
10. The Disney agent, the Disney Studios and their entertaining the public, wanting the dancing caterpillar?
11. Audiences suspending disbelief about the story? caterpillar would become a butterfly? A pleasing '40s fable?
