I was interested in reading the story of the "real" Mokey and pleased that things eventually turned out well for him, but this movie was extremely aggravating. A thoughtless and irresponsible father and an ill-equipped, unsympathetic stepmother--no wonder this poor kid ran away! Granted, he always seemed to be getting into trouble, but most often he meant well and was only trying to please the adults in his life, such as they were. I realize this movie reflects life in a different time period, but the "licking" Mokey's father gave him does not make him suddenly a responsible dad; his being absent 99% of the time speaks volumes. And his stepmother! Well, let's just say it's too bad parenting classes weren't available in the 1940s...
As far as the movie itself goes, it was a bit slow in spots, but well-acted, particularly by little Bobby Blake. Donna Reed seemed rather stiff in this part; by the time "It's a Wonderful Life" came along she'd loosened up a bit and was a much more believable mother. Dan Dailey really didn't have enough scenes to make much of an impression. The African-American members of the cast all made positive contributions to the film.
Worth seeing, but if you love children, you'll want someone to give these parents a swift kick in the proverbial pants!
As far as the movie itself goes, it was a bit slow in spots, but well-acted, particularly by little Bobby Blake. Donna Reed seemed rather stiff in this part; by the time "It's a Wonderful Life" came along she'd loosened up a bit and was a much more believable mother. Dan Dailey really didn't have enough scenes to make much of an impression. The African-American members of the cast all made positive contributions to the film.
Worth seeing, but if you love children, you'll want someone to give these parents a swift kick in the proverbial pants!