LITTLE MISS MARKER

US, 1980, 103 minutes, Colour.
Walter Matthau, Julie Andrews, Tony Curtis, Lee Grant, Bob Newhart, Brian Dennehy.
Directed by Walter Bernstein.

Little Miss Marker is a Damon Runyon story, first filmed in 1934 with Shirley Temple and Adolph Menjou as the bookie who is left with a little girl as a marker. It is full of the comic guys and dolls of Runyon's stories. It was remade in the 1940s with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, under the title Sorrowful Jones. Finally, in 1980, it was filmed with Walter Matthau as the bookie, Sarah Stimson as the little girl and a supporting cast which included both Julie Andrews and Tony Curtis. In support were Lee Grant, Bob Newhart and Brian Dennehy. 1934 version was directed by Alexander Hall (Here Comes Mr Jordan) and the 1980 version by Walter Bernstein, the blacklisted writer who wrote the screenplay for The Front, starring Woody Allen. Other Damon Runyon films include the Bob Hope comedy, The Lemon Drop Kid, as well as the musical Guys and Dolls with Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra.

This is definitely a Walter Matthau vehicle (even more so than usual and quite hilarious in look, slouch and throwaway wisecracks). Julie Andrews is primly attractive, Tony Curtis at home with a dumb gangster role and Sarah Stimpson is unobtrusively charming as the orphaned kid left as a betting marker with morose and mean Sorrowful Jones. Matthau constantly makes odd couples. Nice '30s flavour, Henry Mancini score, a tear or two and plenty of smiles, laughs and a gallery of New York eccentrics. Quite enjoyable.

1. Damon Runyon and the popularity of his stories? The New York characters and types? The Depression, the '30s? Gamblers and gangsters? Children? The values and sentiment underlying the stories? Humour?

2. The popularity of the story and its remakes, the late '70s style, budget, stars? American sentiment?

3. The animation during the credits setting the tone? New York and the '30s colour photography, costumes, decor, atmosphere? Wealth, poverty? Henry Mancini’s score?

4. The initial focus on Blackie and the gangsters, a serious undertone to the film, thugs and their cruelty, the killing of the dog? The introduction to Sorrowful Jones? The argument, the contrast of the two men, Blackie and his lack of brains, his greed, cruelty? Sorrowful throwing Blackie into the river as a child? Blackie's henchman and his continual presence, following Amanda? Blackie and his use of Amanda and her house? His jealousy? His reaction to losing the money when the bank was broken? His telling the police about the kid? His reaction to fixing the race? The confrontation and violence? The final fight? Tony Curtis as a comic gangster? The comic tones and yet the reality of the Depression gangsters?

5. Sorrowful Jones in this situation - Walter Matthau and his comic style? Bob Newhart as his assistant? Sorrowful and his booking agency, knowledge of all the games and the races, his shouting out and it turning out to be to a little old lady? His relationship to the father leaving his daughter? His being taken in? His reaction to the little girl and taking her? The irony of his being left with her and open to sentimentality?

6. The initial presentation of the little girl, her nickname of Miss Marker? Her waiting in the booking agency, her relationship with her father, his death? Her finding out about the death and her anger with Sorrowful?

7. The humorous sequences at Sorrowful's home, the room, the meal, the clothes, the bed? Later shopping? Her following him around the streets and his later following her? The bond growing up between the two? His treating her as an adult especially in his wisecracks? Humour? Walter Matthau performing with Sarah Stimpson? The little girl's unobtrusiveness, her capacity for changing Sorrowful?

8. Julie Andrews as Arenda? a lady from a different class, her story about her husband? Her horses, her fondness for Sarah? The arrangement with Blackie? The gambling house and its clientele? How well portrayed was her character? Her care for the little girl, her clothes? Her fondness for Sorrowful, falling in love? The hopes for the race? Her disillusionment, the court case?

9. How well did the film trace the interaction between Sorrowful and the kid? the outings, the working together, the building up of a relationship especially in the hotel (and the humour of getting people in debt to him to take care of her as cook, housekeeper etc?) Amanda and her place within this world? The races, the parties?

10. How well did the film blend sentiment and toughness? Which predominated?

11. The focus on the horse, the humour of the race where it came last, the fixing of the race and the humour of the jockeys holding back?

12. The complications after the race? Blackie and his vindictiveness, the police inspector and his continued enquiries about the child? Sorrowful coming back into the house and being caught?

13. The build-up to the fight on the pier? the challenging of Blackie, Sorrowful and his losing?

14. The court case? the humour with the judge and the playing cards? The bond between Amanda and Sorrowful and their marrying for each other and for the little girl? The cute happy ending?

15. The cuteness of such American comedies? The universal appeal? The standards and values that they present - in a sentimental satirical form?