Betty Jean Hainey Movies
- 1942
Stolen way back in 1880, a sack of United States mail is discovered in an old attic in 1942. The letters are finally delivered, profoundly affecting the lives of the recipients. The most affected is young farmer Dan Carter (Richard Travis), who falls heir to huge sum of money intended for his father. Romance also blossoms for Carter in the form of stamp collector Julie Martin (Brenda Joyce), who has likewise benefited from the rediscovered mail. An interesting premise inadequately worked out, The Postman Didn't Ring might possibly have been the main inspiration for the much later (and far better) made-for-TV movie The Letters(1973). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Travis, Brenda Joyce, (more)
- 1940
An incredibly long but never dull adaptation of the Rachel Field best-seller, All This and Heaven Too was based on a once-notorious European scandal. Star Bette Davis, playing Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, is first seen as a French schoolteacher in a 19th century American seminary. When her supervisor, Reverend Henry Mortyn Field (Jeffrey Lynn), has questions to ask about her tainted past, Henriette relates her story in flashback. She had been hired by French duke De Praslin (Charles Boyer) to be the governess for his children. De Praslin's wife (Barbara O'Neil) was insanely jealous, so much so she inadvertently threw De Praslin and Henriette together. Henriette was willing to leave rather than cause more discord, but the influential wife vengefully refused to write a letter of recommendation (a bravura scene). Later, the impoverished Henriette was arrested as an accomplice in the murder of De Praslin's wife. The latter's position in French society stirred up volatile political ramifications, with Henriette innocently in the center of the storm. De Praslin committed suicide, exonerating Henriette on his deathbed, but she had already been condemned in the court of public opinion. Disgraced, she left for America to start life anew, which brings the story back to the present. Unable to continue running away from herself, Henriette confesses her past indiscretions to her students -- who promptly forgive her. Casey Robinson had a hell of a job adapting Rachel Field's cumbersome novel, but, by golly, he pulled it off. The performances in All This and Heaven Too are enhanced immeasurably by the lush Max Steiner musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, (more)
- 1936
In this children's movie, a feisty little orphan with high moral standards is literally imprisoned in a terrible orphanage. She is elated to discover that she is actually the daughter of a prominent lawyer who has been searching for her, but when she sees that another little girl needs a daddy more than she does, she exchanges papers with her and lets her go the good home. Fortunately, the truth is discovered and she too is reunited with her father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Withers, Jane Darwell, (more)
- 1936
- NR
This lavish Shirley Temple starrer is set in New York, sometime in the 1850s. While lovable pickpocket "Professor" Eustace Appleby works the crowd, his talented granddaughter Dimples (Temple) dances for pennies. Dimples demands that Appleby stop his thieving ways, but every time he tries to follow the straight and narrow, he comes out the loser (most memorably when he's hoodwinked by a dapper con man played by John Carradine). While Dimples entertains at the home of society matron Mrs. Caroline Drew (Helen Westley), Appleby pilfers several valuable objects. This time he's caught with the goods, but Dimples gallantly takes the blame. Touched by this, Mrs. Drew adopts the little girl, enabling her to find success on the legitimate stage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley Temple, Frank Morgan, (more)
