The Under-Pup (1939)

Now, as a man who really doesn't much like children in films unless it's "Oliver!" (1968), I guess I was asking for trouble when I started to watch this. The opening scene features cinema debutante, the 13 year old Gloria Jean ("Pip-Emma"), giving us the equivalent of an audio postcard of Charles Previn's recent holiday in Switzerland. Yep, a good old fashioned yodel! Luckily, I couldn't be bothered fetching the remote control so decided to persevere and, actually, it's not entirely awful. The young girl wins an essay competition with a first prize of a summer camp experience in a facility frequented by wealthier girls. She arrives and is shunned by her hosts - except one of the teachers, and what follows is a depiction of just how cruel young children can be to one another. Our spunky heroine is not to be deterred, however, and she perseveres... No, there are no twists or turns, it turns out exactly as you would expect. Shirley Mills is quite good as the rather spoilt brat "Cecilia" and C. Aubrey Smith (aged 76) looks suitably fitting as the youngster's kindly, sagely, "Grandpa" as this battle of wills takes a lightly moralistic take en route to an ending that is never in doubt. You will either adore the singing or you won't (I didn't) and I suspect that will define how much you enjoy this. If you like the first ten minutes, then this is for you... if not, well...