The first sound version of this movie stars Janet Gaynor, of course, with Warner Baxter as Jervis Pendleton, the rich man who sends the spunky orphan to college and comes to realize he loves her. As the first movie starring two people who had already won Oscars, it was a major undertaking for Fox, and they filled out the cast with some fine players: Elizabeth Patterson, Claude Gillingwater, Billy Barty, and a favorite of mine, Una Merkel, as Baxter's impish niece and Gaynor's college room mate.
Director Alfred Santell takes his time getting Miss Gaynor out of Miss Patterson's orphanage and into college, and we are treated to 25 minutes of Miss Gaynor quietly defying the old harridan, telling stories to the other orphans, and drawing unflattering caricatures of Edward Maxwell. Meanwhile while Baxter plays football with the boys. I thought this went on a bit too long, but at 80 minutes this is not a particularly long feature, and what could have been put in to bring it up to length? That one cavil aside, I found it a very satisfaction version of Jean Webster's story.
Director Alfred Santell takes his time getting Miss Gaynor out of Miss Patterson's orphanage and into college, and we are treated to 25 minutes of Miss Gaynor quietly defying the old harridan, telling stories to the other orphans, and drawing unflattering caricatures of Edward Maxwell. Meanwhile while Baxter plays football with the boys. I thought this went on a bit too long, but at 80 minutes this is not a particularly long feature, and what could have been put in to bring it up to length? That one cavil aside, I found it a very satisfaction version of Jean Webster's story.