"All this called, appropriately enough: Once Upon a Time."
 |
| With Janet Blair. |
Once Upon A Time - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):
"Just as if to prove that all their contemporary fables and romances don't have to be used as background for musical films, Hollywood presents a couple of glossy new movies that trip along their merry and escapist path without so much as a reference to war, labor or even a song of social significance. Perhaps these films were made to appeal to audiences who are "fed-up with war pictures." Or perhaps they were made for soldiers who prefer non-war entertainment films. In any case, their locale is a romantically realistic America that looks like New York and Indiana but excludes current events like invasions, strikes and coming elections. Such are the places dreamed up in these films.
Alexander Hall has directed this film well enough - though slowly. In spite of the good acting and characterizations by Cary Grant and Janet Blair, and especially by James Gleason as Flynn's assistant and Ted Donaldson as the beaming kid with great faith, there just isn't enough material here for a full-length feature. All this might have made a delightful short. (It was originally a radio sketch by Norman Corwin.) But even with its amusing satire on commercialism and uplifting message of optimism and goodness, the film runs dry and is too obviously prolonged. The climax, in which Curly walks out on bickering mankind and teaches a lesson in nature, is quite effective. All this called, appropriately enough: Once Upon a Time."
- Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal
 |
| New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 - Number 45 - Once Upon A Time (Lobby Card Style) |
Part Of
For more, see also: