Having been beaten to the post by Mascot in 1935, RKO finally got around to making a sequel to their 1933 "Little Women" in 1940. The only characters carried over from the original were Jo and Bhaer and this time they are played by Kay Francis (who bears as much resemblance to the original tomboyish Jo as a window dresser to a lumberjack) and Carl (here masquerading as "Charles") Esmond whose sole qualification for the part seems to be his foreign accent.
However, George Bancroft is a delight as the mellifluous-talking swindler Major Birdle and Jimmy Lydon is appropriately surly as his son. (The script bears some resemblances to the 1939 movie "Boys Town"). Jack Oakie has some amusing moments as an inept bank robber, though his confusing a donkey for a fox is a little difficult to accept, and its use as a running gag is unfunny.
A fair bit of money has been spent on the film in giving it a period flavor with appropriate sets and costumes, but the standard of studio craftsmanship, whilst efficient, is not high and credits, including direction, are merely serviceable. The old-fashioned plot is not particularly interesting either, but at least the film in all departments is a considerable improvement on the Mascot version.
However, George Bancroft is a delight as the mellifluous-talking swindler Major Birdle and Jimmy Lydon is appropriately surly as his son. (The script bears some resemblances to the 1939 movie "Boys Town"). Jack Oakie has some amusing moments as an inept bank robber, though his confusing a donkey for a fox is a little difficult to accept, and its use as a running gag is unfunny.
A fair bit of money has been spent on the film in giving it a period flavor with appropriate sets and costumes, but the standard of studio craftsmanship, whilst efficient, is not high and credits, including direction, are merely serviceable. The old-fashioned plot is not particularly interesting either, but at least the film in all departments is a considerable improvement on the Mascot version.