LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY

UK, 1980, 103 minutes, Colour.
Rick Schroder, Alec Guinness, Eric Porter, Colin Blakely, Rachel Kempson, Connie Booth.
Directed by Jack Gold.

Little Lord Fauntleroy has been filmed many times, including a version with Mary Pickford and later with Ricky Schroeder and Alec Guinness. This version of Frances Hodgson Burnetts novel was directed by John Cromwell for the Selznick Studios. Cromwell also directed such films as The Prisoner of Zenda, Abe Lincoln in Illinois.

Freddie Bartholomew is Ceddie - sentimental but a touch priggish. Dolores Costello is Dearest. C Aubrey Smith is in his element as the earl. There is enjoyable support from such veterans as Guy Kibbee as Mr Robbs and a young Mickey Rooney as Dick. The film was made in the mid 1930s, an entertainment for Depression times - with a touch of fable about relationship between the classes.

1. Entertaining version of a classic children's novel? The many versions? The quality of this version, in its time?

2. Black and white photography, Brooklyn and English settings? Musical score? The cast?

3. The title, impact for American audiences and the fascination with royalty? Mr Hobbs' criticism and his being won over? For non-American audiences?

4. Brooklyn, the 1880s, Dearest and the death of her husband, her love for Ceddie? Their grief? Cut off from the family? Managing in New York City? The mother, the maid, her help? Ceddie and the gift of his bike? Riding along the street, the fight with the gang, the friendship with the police, friendship with Dick? Chatting with Mr Hobbs, especially about royalty? The old lady in need of money?

5. The news from England: The effect on the mother, her not being allowed to stay in the castle with her son? Her not speaking ill of the earl? All for Ceddie's benefit? The effect on Ceddie? Mr Tevercham and his handling of the situation? The gift of the money? Ceddie and his giving it to the old lady, the gift for Dick, the gift for Mr Hobbs, and the discussions about going to England?

6. The British Aristocracy, castles? The Earl, his age, his status, the gout? Cantankerous? With his-servants? Meeting Ceddie, Ceddie and his frankness? The Earl being won over? Their talks, meetings, sharing things? The Earl and Ceddie together? Ceddie with the Earl's gouty leg? The change of heart? The concern about his mother? Learning to become an Earl? Signing the document to help the people on the estate? their gratitude?

7. The false claim - the lawyer, the mother? Ceddie prepared not to be the Lord? The Earl and his anger? The confrontation with the woman and her lawyer, the awkward son? The irony of Dick seeing the picture in the paper, she being his sister-in-law, going to Mr Hobbs, their coming to England, exposing the fraud? The reuniting of Dicks'
brother with his son?

8. The Earl, the visit to Ceddie's mother, the breaking down of barriers after his refusal? Especially seeing her after the attempted fraud? Welcoming her to the castle?

9. The scenes of the village, the village people, relationship with the Earl, with Lord Fauntleroy? The warm and sentimental presentation of the differences between the classes - and the invitation to the wealthy to help the poor?

10. Dick, cleaning shoes, in New York City, gift to Ceddie, finding out the truth, coming to England? Mr Hobbs, the groceries, coming to England, being shown the pictures of the ancestors, changing his mind? The old lady in the street, the money and her gratitude?

11. Victorian melodrama? Warm and sentimental drama and comedy? The Americans and
their fascination with things British?