A well done family drama that features forgotten child star Sharyn Moffett as a neglected young girl whose strict governess (Jill Esmond) wants to get rid of the German shepherd dog Wolf she has found. It's quite apparent who needs to be gotten rid of with Esmond reminding me of Mary Nash's Frau Rottenweiller from the Shirley Temple film "Heidi". Moffett's parents Leona Maricle and Bruce Edwards are often away so they don't see first hand the cruelties of Esmond, only the servants which includes Una O'Connor and George Cleveland.
"Green tea you've got for blood in your heart!" O'Connor screams at Esmond, and the handyman tells her directly to her face how he doesn't like her. But the dog Wolf really isn't Moffett's to keep so it's a lesson that she needs to accept as he has a purpose to serve. Moffett is quite good, more natural and less cloying than some of the more famous child stars. Esmond is a cold woman in this so it's fun to watch her get her comeuppance for being so deliberately mean, obviously working in the wrong profession. Manages to be touching and lightly humorous at times without resorting to extreme weepiness.
"Green tea you've got for blood in your heart!" O'Connor screams at Esmond, and the handyman tells her directly to her face how he doesn't like her. But the dog Wolf really isn't Moffett's to keep so it's a lesson that she needs to accept as he has a purpose to serve. Moffett is quite good, more natural and less cloying than some of the more famous child stars. Esmond is a cold woman in this so it's fun to watch her get her comeuppance for being so deliberately mean, obviously working in the wrong profession. Manages to be touching and lightly humorous at times without resorting to extreme weepiness.