Once Upon a Time (1944 film)

1944 film by Alexander Hall

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Once Upon a Time" 1944 film – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Once Upon a Time

1944 theatrical poster

Directed by| Alexander Hall
Written by| Lucille Fletcher (story)
Irving Fineman (adaptation)
Screenplay by| Lewis Meltzer
Oscar Saul
Based on| My Client Curly
1940 Columbia Workshop radio play
by Norman Corwin
Produced by| Louis F. Edelman
Starring| Cary Grant
Janet Blair
James Gleason
Ted Donaldson
Cinematography| Franz Planer
Edited by| Gene Havlick
Music by| Frederick Hollander
Color process| Black and white

Production
company

Columbia Pictures

Distributed by| Columbia Pictures

Release date

* June 29, 1944 (1944-06-29)

Running time

| 89 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English

Once Upon a Time is a 1944 American comedy fantasy film involving a dancing caterpillar who lives in a small box. Cary Grant plays a conniving showman who desperately needs money to save his theater. The film was based on a 1940 radio play called "My Client Curley", adapted by Norman Corwin from a magazine story by Lucille Fletcher.[1]

## Plot

[edit]

Jerry Flynn has to come up with $100,000 within a week to keep his theater. By chance, youngster Arthur "Pinky" Thompson shows him "Curly" (the original title of the film), a caterpillar that gets up on its tail and dances when Pinky plays "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" on his harmonica. Pinky refuses to let Jerry buy his friend, so they become partners. The boy is an orphan being raised by his showgirl sister Jeannie, so he soon becomes very attached to Jerry, as does his sister.

Jerry is soon publicizing Curly, managing to generate a nationwide sensation. Brandt, a suspicious reporter who has been feuding with Jerry, brings in scientists to examine Curly. To his great disappointment, the caterpillar turns out to be genuine. When the scientists want to keep Curly for further research (and later dissection), it causes a national uproar, with people divided in their opinions.

Meanwhile, behind Pinky's back, Jerry negotiates to sell Curly to Walt Disney, finally getting his price of $100,000. Jerry orders his assistant, the "Moke", to steal Curly while Pinky is asleep, but the boy wakes up and takes Curly home. Jerry confronts a heartbroken Pinky and gets the insect, but is so ashamed of himself that he leaves the apartment without Curly.

Later, Curly goes missing. Meanwhile, knowing that Jerry and Pinky miss each other, the Moke arranges with the boys of the various Curly fan clubs that have sprung up to get them back together. After their happy reconciliation, Jerry discovers that Curly has transformed into a butterfly.

## Cast

[edit]

* Cary Grant as Jerry Flynn
* Janet Blair as Jeannie Thompson
* James Gleason as McGillicuddy aka The Moke
* Ted Donaldson as Arthur "Pinky" Thompson
* William Demarest as Brandt

## Production

[edit]

The film's working titles were Curly, My Friend Curly, My Client Curly and Yes Sir, That's My Baby.

## See also

[edit]

* One Froggy Evening, a 1955 Warner Bros. cartoon about a frog that both sings and dances
* Sametka, a 1967 animated short by Zdeněk Miler based on the film. Sametka at IMDb

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Crowther, Bosley (June 30, 1944). "Pleasant Fantasy". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Once Upon a Time at IMDb
* Once Upon a Time at the TCM Movie Database
* Once Upon a Time at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Alexander Hall

* Sinners in the Sun (1932)
* Madame Racketeer (1932)
* The Girl in 419 (1933)
* Midnight Club (1933)
* Torch Singer (1933)
* Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen (1934)
* Little Miss Marker (1934)
* The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
* Limehouse Blues (1934)
* Annapolis Farewell (1935)
* Goin' to Town (1935)
* Give Us This Night (1936)
* Yours for the Asking (1936)
* Exclusive (1937)
* There's Always a Woman (1938)
* I Am the Law (1938)
* There's That Woman Again (1938)
* The Amazing Mr. Williams (1939)
* The Lady's from Kentucky (1939)
* Good Girls Go to Paris (1939)
* The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940)
* He Stayed for Breakfast (1940)
* This Thing Called Love (1940)
* Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)
* Bedtime Story (1941)
* They All Kissed the Bride (1942)
* My Sister Eileen (1942)
* The Heavenly Body (1944)
* Once Upon a Time (1944)
* She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945)
* Down to Earth (1947)
* The Great Lover (1949)
* Love That Brute (1950)
* Louisa (1950)
* Up Front (1951)
* Because You're Mine (1952)
* Let's Do It Again (1953)
* Forever, Darling (1956)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template