Maurice Rapf Movies
The blacklisted writer who also co-founded the Screen Writer's Guild (later known as the Writer's Guild of America), scribe Maurice Rapf was also a key creative force in shaping the stories of such Disney classics as Song of the South and Cinderella. Born in New York City in May of 1914, Rapf was raised in Hollywood the son of successful film producer Harry Rapf. Following a brief career in front of the camera that ended when he began school, the future writer majored in English at Dartmouth, where he enjoyed watching movies in his free time. With college friends including such Hollywood kids as Budd Schulberg and Jim Goldstone to keep him company, Rapf formed an early collaboration with Schulberg which resulted in 1939's Winter Carnival. Returning to Hollywood upon graduation, Rapf put pen to paper for numerous studios and helped to found the SWG. Though Rapf would later move back east when he was blacklisted for supporting the Communist party and for his union work, the move prompted him to found the Dartmouth Film Society. Subsequently relocating to New York City, Rapf produced and directed numerous industrial films and reviewed films for Life and Family Circle before once again returning to Dartmouth to embark on a successful career as a film teacher. Married to actress Louise Seidel in 1947, the couple would have two children. On April 15, 2003, Maurice Rapf died of natural causes in Hanover, NH. He was 88. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide- 1948
Like Disney's earlier Song of the South, So Dear to My Heart peppers its live action with animated sequences. In this film, however, it is the "live" story that lingers longest in the memory. Set in 1903, the film takes place on the small Kincaid farm. Twin sheep are born in the barn: one white, one black. When the mother sheep rejects the black lamb, young Jeremiah Kincaid (Bobby Driscoll) adopts the animal, naming it Danny, after the great trotting horse Dan Patch. Danny grows up to be quite troublesome, and Jeremiah's grandmother (Beulah Bondi) wishes that the boy would get rid of his pet. Jeremiah's only ally is kindly blacksmith Uncle Hiram (Burl Ives), who encourages the boy to enter Danny in blue-ribbon competition at the county fair. Granny is against this notion, so Jeremiah sets about to pay his own way. On a stormy night, Danny runs away; Jeremiah is kept from searching for the lost sheep by Granny, who now believes that the boy wants to enter the state fair contest for selfish reasons rather than out of love for his pet. She further warns that the Lord may not let Danny survive the night. The next day, however, Danny returns. Remembering Granny's remonstrations, Jeremiah now states that he won't attend the county fair, having promised the Lord that he'd forget about the competition if Danny was spared. Moved by this unselfishness, Granny softens her own stance, claiming that she'd promised the Lord that Jeremiah could go to the fair if the lamb returned alive. The story reaches a warm-hearted climax at the fair; Danny doesn't win, but his ultimate prize is far more meaningful than any blue ribbon. The isolated animated sequences spring from Jeremiah's scrapbook, illustrating such homespun philosophies as "stick-to-it-tivity" and "it's whatcha do with whatcha got." So Dear to My Heart yielded a hit song, "Lavender Blue," which co-star Burl Ives retained in his repertoire until his dying day. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bobby Driscoll, Beulah Bondi, (more)
- 1946
Song of the South is a blend of live action and animation, based on the popular "Uncle Remus" stories of Joel Chandler Harris. Set in the years just after the Civil War, the story begins with young Johnny (Bobby Driscoll) being sent to live at the southern plantation of his grandmother (Lucile Watson) while his parents contemplate divorce. At first disconsolate, the boy is cheered up by African-American handyman Uncle Remus (James Baskett), who tells him many delightful fables concerning the clever trickster Br'er Rabbit, whose adventures are illustrated in cartoon form. Each story has a moral, which Johnny applies to the exigencies of his real life. Johnny's mother (Ruth Warrick) disapproves of Uncle Remus, and orders the boy never to visit the kindly old black man again. Uncle Remus packs his bags and leaves; while chasing after him, Johnny is injured by a bull. He recovers thanks to the friendly presence of Uncle Remus, and all is forgiven. The film was awarded the Best Song Oscar for "Zip-a-dee Doo Dah," and James Baskett won a special Oscar for his portrayal of Uncle Remus. Disney has withheld the movie in the U.S. ever since its last theatrical re-release in 1986, due to controversy over what some (including the NAACP) argue is a sugar-coated depiction of the Reconstruction-era South. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Baskett, Anita Brown, (more)
Cattleman Gene Autry is put out-to say the least-when he finds out that he's been slickered by crooked purchasing agent Thomas McCoy (Edmund MacDonald). It turns out that McCoy is in debt to bookies, and has been skimming his customers to pay off his gambling losses. Autry hopes to put a stop to all this by going directly to McCoy's boss, Grantley B. Johnson (Thurston Hall), but the Big Guy's office is crammed full of radio agents who hope to persuade Johnson to sponsor their programs. One of these agents is a young lady named Kit Carson (Ruth Terry), whose sample record disc is accidentally broken in the crush. Thus is the main plot briefly put on the back burner as Kit persuades Gene and his ranch-hand pals (the Sons of the Pioneers) to pose as radio crooners to impress Mr. Johnson. Eventually, Call of the Canyon gets back on track with an exciting runaway-buggy climax, but for the most part the film is more musical than western. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, (more)
- 1941
Virginia Gilmore stars as Jennie, the daughter-in-law of German-born shoe manufacturer Ludwig Stossel. The stubborn manufacturer refuses to grow with the time, continuing to run his business and his household with outmoded and oppressive "old country" methods. Jennie counters this attitude by encouraging Stossel's employees to go on strike--a job action that extends to his family members. The old man stages a fake heart attack to bring his lost sheep back to the fold, then apologizes for his previous bullheadedness and promises to change his ways. Though released by 20th Century-Fox, Jennie is not mentioned in the otherwise thorough Tony Thomas/Aubrey Solomon volume The Films of 20th Century-Fox. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virginia Gilmore, William Henry, (more)
- 1940
Future Universal contractees Robert Paige and Grace MacDonald (in her film debut) star in the Paramount mini-musical Dancing on a Dime. The story concerns an entertainment troupe financed by the government's Work Projects Administration. When the WPA drops its funding, the young performers despair until they come across an abandoned roll of money. Unaware that the cash is counterfeit, the kids use this windfall to finance their upcoming show, but the Feds catch up with them on opening night. Will a last-minute miracle permit the film to end on a happy note? The Frank Loesser-Burton Lane songs included one bonafide hit, "I Hear Music". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Paige, Grace McDonald, (more)
- 1939
In this newspaper drama, a female reporter and a newsreel cameraman are both assigned to cover the Sino-Japanese war. They meet on the boat ride over and decide to team up. They are further assisted by a Chinese cameraman. The three of them manage to expose of spy ring operating out of the Shanghai office of the woman's newspaper. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Craig, Betty Furness, (more)
- 1939
This romance is set during the Dartmouth College Winter Carnival and follows the exploits of a woman recently divorced from a count who has returned to her alma mater for the annual carnival. A former carnival queen, she watches as her lovely little sister vies for the title. She also flirts with her stodgy old boy friend, a professor. Romance blooms amid the din and colorful activities. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Sheridan, Richard Carlson, (more)
- 1938
Wallace Beery plays one of his patented good bad guys in this MGM Western. "Trigger" Bill (Beery) is an outlaw with a heart of gold who discovers that his estranged son Jeffrey Burton (Dennis O'Keefe) has become a prizefighter. In his attempts to get Jeffrey out of the ring and into law school, Bill reforms and gives up thieving. When the villainous "Blackjack" McCreedy (Bruce Cabot) tries to interfere with Bill and Jeffrey's lives, however, Bill must return to the way of the gun. This film was initially released in a sepia-tone tint; most prints now available are in black-&-white. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wallace Beery, Virginia Bruce, (more)
- 1938
Sharpshooters was the initial entry in what was to have been a series of six "Camera Daredevils" adventures. Brian Donlevy and Wally Vernon star as Steve and Waldo, intrepid newsreel cameraman on assignment in the mythical kingdom of Mitovania. It isn't long before our heroes discover that Michael (Martin Joseph Spellman Jr.), the young Mitovanian prince, has been targeted for assassination by usurping Count Maxim (Douglass Dumbrille). Literally punching their way into the palace, Steve and Waldo do their best to rescue Michael and his pretty tutor Diana Woodward (Lynn Bari) from Maxim's evil minions. It's all strictly formula stuff, and darned if it doesn't work beautifully. For reasons unknown, 20th Century-Fox discontinued its "Camera Daredevils" series after the second entry, Chasing Danger (1939). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brian Donlevy, Lynn Bari, (more)
- 1937
In this WW II era drama, a timid, pacifistic clerk is befriended by a gutsy circus barker while they are in the military. Tensions arise between the friends after they fall for the same woman. The circus man is captured by the Germans and shortly thereafter, the clerk marries the girl. In time, the clerk finds courage he never knew he had and becomes a legendary hero. The war ends, but by the time, the clerk is returned to civilian life, he has come to like killing others. Unable to adjust, he becomes a gangster, something he conceals from his wife. Years pass and he runs into his old friend the circus barker, who has become the owner of his own circus. By this time the gangster's wife has learned of his profession and she teams up with the ringmaster to help straighten him out. When all else fails, she turns him into the cops. To earn money while he serves his time, the woman joins the other man's circus. It's all innocent, but the gangster, having just busted out of prison, doesn't realize this. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, Gladys George, (more)
- 1936
We Went to College is a perceptive spoof of alumni "homecoming" reunions. Hugh Herbert plays a daffy economics professor, who invites old grads Glenn Harvey (Charles Butterworth), Phil Talbot (Walter Abel) and Senator Budger (Walter Catlett), among many others, to attend the annual homecoming rally. It isn't long before the three middle-agers jump-start their old campus rivalries, much to the consternation of their wives. Our heroes also try their best to interfere with campus activities, notably the all-important homecoming football game. The finale, in which the inebriated Glenn Harvey stumbles onto the football field to prevent a touchdown, was based on an actual incident, which presumably wasn't quite as amusing as what happens on screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Butterworth, Walter Abel, (more)
- 1932
A young boy from a broken home must choose between his real dad and his step-father in this drama. His real dad is permissive; his new father is quite strict. His real father wants him back, but ultimately, the boy opts to stay with the stepfather because he understands that the discipline is good for him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Cooper, Conrad Nagel, (more)
