An 1890s widow has two daughters and two sons. The daughters fall in love with the same gentleman.An 1890s widow has two daughters and two sons. The daughters fall in love with the same gentleman.An 1890s widow has two daughters and two sons. The daughters fall in love with the same gentleman.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Marie L. Day
- Old woman in Popham's store
- (uncredited)
Lew Kelly
- Paperhanger
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOriginally, RKO slated Katharine Hepburn to star in this picture. She had just been declared a "box office deterrent" by the Independent Theater Owners Association. She refused the role and consequently bought out her contract from RKO.
- GoofsAs Mr. Popham is hanging a picture, a studio light is reflected in the glass over the painting.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits are shown as like framed embroidered samplers.
- ConnectionsReferenced in The John Garfield Story (2003)
- SoundtracksSailing, Sailing (Over the Bounding Main)
(1880) (uncredited)
Written by Godfrey Marks
Sung a cappella by the Carey family on the way to their picnic
Featured review
Frankenstein's grandson steals the show
In the 1890s, widow Margaret Carey (Fay Bainter) struggles to keep a roof over the heads of her four children. When they finally have a steady home, a scheming couple (Margaret Hamilton, Harvey Clark) try to take it away from them. Meanwhile the two daughters (Anne Shirley, Ruby Keeler) fall in love with the same man (James Ellison).
I'm always up for an Anne Shirley movie. She's one of the most under-appreciated actresses of her era and one of the prettiest, too. It's nice to see Ruby Keeler outside of a musical but it's easy to see why her career went nowhere when she wasn't tapping. After this she didn't do another movie for three years. Fay Bainter is wonderful as the saintly Mother Carey. It's too bad she isn't in the movie more in the second half. Margaret Hamilton and Walter Brennan make any movie better and that holds true here. This is the film debut of child actor Donnie Dunagan. That name might not mean much to a lot of you but Universal horror fans will recognize him as the heavily-accented boy from Tower of London and Son of Frankenstein, both also directed by this film's director Rowland V. Lee. He has lots of precocious lines and funny moments. He's not the best little actor but he still manages to steal the picture. Charming Americana that provides some laughs and tears. It's not perfect but if you like movies like Meet Me in St. Louis, you should enjoy this.
I'm always up for an Anne Shirley movie. She's one of the most under-appreciated actresses of her era and one of the prettiest, too. It's nice to see Ruby Keeler outside of a musical but it's easy to see why her career went nowhere when she wasn't tapping. After this she didn't do another movie for three years. Fay Bainter is wonderful as the saintly Mother Carey. It's too bad she isn't in the movie more in the second half. Margaret Hamilton and Walter Brennan make any movie better and that holds true here. This is the film debut of child actor Donnie Dunagan. That name might not mean much to a lot of you but Universal horror fans will recognize him as the heavily-accented boy from Tower of London and Son of Frankenstein, both also directed by this film's director Rowland V. Lee. He has lots of precocious lines and funny moments. He's not the best little actor but he still manages to steal the picture. Charming Americana that provides some laughs and tears. It's not perfect but if you like movies like Meet Me in St. Louis, you should enjoy this.
helpful•70
- utgard14
- Nov 17, 2014
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $358,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 22 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was Mother Carey's Chickens (1938) officially released in India in English?
Answer