How do you prevent a widowed parent from marrying somebody you really can't stand that you know will turn their world upside down? Try to find somebody else, of course, and for teenaged tomboy Lois Butler, the snooty town busybody Rose Hobart just won't do. There's not only the fact that she hates Hobart's geeky son (Leon Tyler), but the fact that Hobart, a still attractive widow, acts as the moral finger-wager for their entire small town. When a heartbroken former resident (Irene Hervey) returns from New York, Butler instantly sees that she would be a perfect step-mom and sets up a dinner date for Hervey with her very busy doctor father (Bill Goodwin) present. Goodwin has been spending most of his free time with Hobart so Butler knows she must move fast, or face the unacceptable consequences.
This variation of an old Deanna Durbin style plot has the singing Butler performing such familiar tunes as "Some Day My Prince Will Come" and "If You Were the Only Boy and I was the only Girl", going from a base-ball playing tomboy to dress wearing singer. In one scene, her baseball pals suck on lemons outside the window where Butler is practicing her singing so she can loose her voice and thus be free to play baseball. In another scene, she gets into a fight with pal Skip Homeier while Tyler is playing his violin in a crowded auditorium, literally interrupting his performance by flying out onto the stage with a thud. The mixture of music and comedy keeps the film moving at a brisk speed and provides a combination of grins and laughs, as well as a few minor groans.
Delightful in one of her last screen appearances as Goodwin's devoted cook, Hattie McDaniel acts as a mother figure to Butler and provides more than just a stereotypical characterization. It is obvious that she is as important a part of their family, even though she reminds Goodwin of his responsibilities as a father and of the fact that she has her own family that she needs to look in on. A great scene has Butler telling the crowded auditorium audience off for gossiping about her without knowing all the facts, and it is satisfying to see Hobart crunching down in her chair, knowing that she's the culprit behind it all when they applaud her moxie.
The Tru-Color is faded, a cheap alternative to Technicolor that the minor studios used in the mid-late 40's. These films don't hold up as well to look at, and might have been better suited in black and white, although you must give the poverty row studios credit for trying to move on technically. "Mickey" isn't a story you haven't been seen before, but entertainingly done, it is one that can be enjoyed with the benefits of a mostly obscure cast doing quite well in spite of the less than high budget.
This variation of an old Deanna Durbin style plot has the singing Butler performing such familiar tunes as "Some Day My Prince Will Come" and "If You Were the Only Boy and I was the only Girl", going from a base-ball playing tomboy to dress wearing singer. In one scene, her baseball pals suck on lemons outside the window where Butler is practicing her singing so she can loose her voice and thus be free to play baseball. In another scene, she gets into a fight with pal Skip Homeier while Tyler is playing his violin in a crowded auditorium, literally interrupting his performance by flying out onto the stage with a thud. The mixture of music and comedy keeps the film moving at a brisk speed and provides a combination of grins and laughs, as well as a few minor groans.
Delightful in one of her last screen appearances as Goodwin's devoted cook, Hattie McDaniel acts as a mother figure to Butler and provides more than just a stereotypical characterization. It is obvious that she is as important a part of their family, even though she reminds Goodwin of his responsibilities as a father and of the fact that she has her own family that she needs to look in on. A great scene has Butler telling the crowded auditorium audience off for gossiping about her without knowing all the facts, and it is satisfying to see Hobart crunching down in her chair, knowing that she's the culprit behind it all when they applaud her moxie.
The Tru-Color is faded, a cheap alternative to Technicolor that the minor studios used in the mid-late 40's. These films don't hold up as well to look at, and might have been better suited in black and white, although you must give the poverty row studios credit for trying to move on technically. "Mickey" isn't a story you haven't been seen before, but entertainingly done, it is one that can be enjoyed with the benefits of a mostly obscure cast doing quite well in spite of the less than high budget.
