Mickey McGuire Movies
- 1950
The Golden Gloves Story is the sort of heartwarming fare that MGM used to turn out once a week in the 1930s. Though this 1950 film was produced by pinchpenny Eagle Lion Studios, director Felix E. Feist manages to perform miracles on a tiny budget. Dewey Martin stars as Nick Martel, a tough tenement punk on the road to perdition. As he competes in the Golden Gloves boxing competition, Nick cleans up his act, but it takes him nearly eight reels to do so. Romance enters the picture when Nick falls for Patti (Kay Westfall), the daughter of referee Joe Riley (James Dunn). A surface reality is maintained by the inclusion of clips from actual Golden Gloves bouts, and by the presence in the cast of boxing champ Tony Zale and veteran sports announcer Jack Brickhouse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Dunn, Dewey Martin, (more)
- 1949
In this drama, an embittered widow, a former concert singer, can't help but blame Lassie for her son's death. Needing help with her chores, she hires an orphan from the local home. At first she remains aloof towards the charming lad who quickly bonds with the collie dog, but as time passes she can't help but develop feelings for the boy. Later Lassie redeems herself when she saves the boy from a terrible fire in the orphanage. After that, the widow suddenly realizes that she does indeed love the boy and adopts him and puts Lassie back in her good graces. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanette MacDonald, Lloyd Nolan, (more)
- 1948
Another entry in Columbia's bucolic "Rusty" series, My Dog Rusty again pairs apple-cheeked Ted Donaldson with Flame the Dog. This time around, Hugh Mitchell (John Litel), father of mischievous Danny Mitchell (Donaldson) is running for mayor. Thanks to Danny's propensity for lying, the elder Mitchell is disgraced in the eyes of the community. Somehow, Danny's faithful hound Rusty (Flame) not only cinches the election for Mitchell, but also helps him to understand the underlying psychological reasons for his son's prevarications. Columbia contact actress Ann Doran does her usual fine job as Mrs. Mitchell, while Whitford Kane, former member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, delivers an effective performance as a philosophical blind man. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Donaldson, John Litel, (more)
- 1947
For the Love of Rusty is an easy-to-take entry in Columbia's brief "Rusty" series of the late 1940s. Danny Mitchell (Ted Donaldson) can't seem to get along with his father Hugh (Tom Powers). An especially sore spot is Danny's affection for his dog Rusty; Hugh Mitchell can't stand Rusty, and demands that the boy lose the mutt immediately. Everything is straightened out with the help of another dog named Flash, and by lovable old veterinarian Aubrey Mather. For the Love of Rusty represented one of the earliest directorial assignments for John Sturges, who graduated to such high-priced fare as Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ted Donaldson, Tom Powers, (more)
Based on Norman Corwin's satirical radio play My Client Curley, Once Upon a Time is an engaging bit of whimsy, completely dominated by the personality of star Cary Grant. It all begins when fly-by-night Broadway producer Jerry Flynn (Grant) learns of a trained caterpillar (!) that dances to the tune of "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby." In short order, Jerry has promoted Curly the Caterpillar to international stardom-and in the process he alienates both Pinky Thompson (Ted Donaldson), the impressionable 9-year-old who owns Curley, and Pinky's attractive older sister Jeanne (Janet Blair). Eventually, Flynn comes to his senses and regains his essential decency-though it's too late to continue capitalizing on Curley, who has turned into a non-dancing butterfly! Full of delightful contemporary references and "cameo appearances" by such celebrities as producer Walt Disney and radio commentator Gabriel Heatter (both played by uncredited impressionists), Once Upon a Time proved an agreeable diversion for wartime audiences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cary Grant, Janet Blair, (more)
- 1941
Another MGM Our Gang comedy that has next to nothing to do with Our Gang, the one-reel Helping Hands gets under way when Spanky McFarland receives a letter from his recently drafted older brother. Inspired by the letter's patriotic sentiments, Spanky and the gang organize a "home guard," prepared to do battle should the Nazis invade California. This attracts the attention of Army Major Sanford (Sam Flint), who informs the kids that they would be of even greater service to Uncle Sam by looking out for fire hazards, collecting scrap metal and paper, and encouraging their parents to buy war stamps and bonds. The humor level of this film can be gauged by the final gag, in which a group of diapered babies march down the street under the banner "Infantry." Helping Hands was originally released on September 27, 1941. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George "Spanky" McFarland, Mickey Gubitosi, (more)
