LITTLE NELLIE KELLY
US, 1940, 98 minutes, Black and white.
Judy Garland, George Murphy, Charles Winninger, Douglas Mc Phail, Arthur Shields.
Directed by Norman Taurog.
Little Nellie Kelly is an agreeable piece of Irish hokum from MGM and 1940. It is a reminder of the dominant presence of Irish migrants in the United States, especially New York City, at the turn of the 20th century.
There are some scenes in Ireland – then migration. The film also shows the eagerness of the Irish migrants in coming to New York, seeing the Statue of Liberty, finding accommodation, going through the naturalisation process, declarations of loyalty, finding jobs. There is an enthusiastic sequence of the St Patrick’s Day procession in New York City with the singing of It’s a Great Day for the Irish.
Judy Garland had made The Wizard of Oz the year before but had made Strike Up the Band and Babes in Arms, with Mickey Rooney, before she made Little Nellie Kelly. She has two roles in this film, Nellie Kelly in Ireland migrating to the United States and her daughter, the seventeen-year-old Nellie Kelly in New York. George Murphy was a reliable song-and-dance man, dancing with Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940, starring with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in For Me and My Gal. Charles Winninger is a character actor who puts on the blarney especially for this film, keeping up a feud with his son-in-law for the whole of the film, then melting at the end, perhaps more than a touch surprisingly. The romantic lead was Douglas McPhail?, an operatic singer who had appeared in a number of films but who was to die in 1944 at the age of thirty.
Norman Taurog had directed the Oscar-winning Skippy, and was a regular director of all kinds of comedies and musicals over the coming decades, including a number of Elvis Presley musicals.
The film was produced by Arthur Freed, writer of Singin’ in the Rain, which features here as it did in many of the other films he produced. A must for those who have any touch of Irish in their ancestry.
1. The appeal of this kind of film? For 1940s audiences? MGM production values? The cast, humour, songs, patriotism?
2. The production values, black and white photography, the songs and their staging, dances? The St Patrick’s Day march? The recreation of Ireland, homes and pubs? The contrast with New York City, the Statue of Liberty, accommodation, workplaces, parades? The final policemen’s ball? The musical score, the songs, Judy Garland presenting them, It’s a Great Day for the Irish? The finale with Little Nellie Kelly? Singin’ in the Rain?
3. The title, expectations, a Judy Garland vehicle? Her playing two roles, older with the Irish accent, younger, a New York City girl?
4. The opening in Ireland, the discussions about Ireland and oppression? Grandfather Noonan shooting his mouth off? Drinks all round? The challenges? The rivalry with Timothy Fogarty? The discussions about migration?
5. Jerry and his courting Nellie, coming to the house, their discussions, being in love, the talk about the kiss? The proposal, the acceptance? Michael Noonan and his hostility towards Jerry, his memory of his dead wife, devotion to his daughter, protecting her? His putting on an act – especially the pretence of heart trouble? His refusal to talk to Jerry? The wedding, his going to discuss it with Father Malone? The special permission from the bishop? His return, his hostility towards Jerry? The news of migration to America? Their asking him to come, his patriotism, his leaving?
6. The voyage to New York? The Statue of Liberty, and Michael thinking it was a gift from Ireland? Their settling in their apartment? Michael living with his daughter and Jerry? Jerry and his looking for a job? Security on the subway? Michael refusing? Ordinary life?
7. Studying for naturalisation, the naturalisation ceremony, Michael becoming an American citizen? Nellie’s pregnancy? The hospital, the birth, her illness, final words? Michael’s being upset? Jerry seeing him playing with the baby? His devotion to his granddaughter?
8. The years passing, the candles on the cake? Nellie and her blowing out the candles, her wish, the candle not being extinguished? Her wish for reconciliation between her father and her grandfather?
9. Jerry, in the police, the training, his promotion? His leading the parade on St Patrick’s Day? His being well thought of? Getting older, Nellie and her love for her father? Her grief at the hostility between the father and grandfather?
10. The procession? The Fogartys and their presence? Dennis, his singing, attraction towards Nellie? Her birthday party, the singing telegram? The flowers, his arrival, the candy?
11. The romance between Dennis and Nellie? Going out, the dance? The ride in Central Park, arriving late? His being told off by Michael Noonan?
12. Jerry talking things over with Nellie, getting her to see her grandfather’s stubbornness? Their confronting him, her taking a stand? His sulking and going off after trying the heart attack routine? His disappearance, their searching?
13. The ball, Nellie and the dress, with Dennis and the dancing, Little Nellie Kelly, singing Singin’ in the Rain? The search for Grandfather?
14. His getting a job, the carriage in Central Park and calling his horse Fogarty? The group in the coach? Singing, including Michael Noonan, and the happy ending?
