Little Lord Fauntleroy
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Movie Reviews of Little Lord Fauntleroy
Movie Review: Llittle Lord Fauntleroy George Baker
Summary: 3 Stars
George Baker extremely good and likeable in this version as the grandfather, but the Ricky Schroder earlier film was more enjoyable, Ricky being a more endearing character as Little Lord Fauntleroy..Movie Review: Ricky Schroeder Version
Summary: 2 Stars
For those looking for the Ricky Schroeder version of LLF, save your time and your money. While the kid is a great little actor, the story is so far off kilter from the original that it constantly stabs into the brains of all Burnett fans, despite the dated acting in some places of the original.
Ricky was closer in age to the actual Fauntleroy than either the current actor or Freddie Bartholomew but that's about the only good thing. That party scene with him starting a group sing-song of "Oh Them Golden Slippers" was just plain embarrassing. He's "too American", too assertive, too bold, the very thing the Earl most hated about American children. Ceddie was continually described as firm and strong but polite and refined. He also had a "mop" of hair, not a slicked-down, wiggy pageboy. Bartholomew's slightly long, slightly unkempt curls were much closer to Ceddie's "lovelocks" and the hairstyle that became the bane of thousands of Victorian and Edwardian boys.
Also, "Dearest" was, in no way, shape or form, some modern feminist. She didn't get a job, she lived on the income from money left her by her late husband ("enough to live simply upon"). Getting a job would have been so out of character for her class, both as an American or as an Englishwoman, that the Earl could NEVER have been reconciled to her and the villagers wouldn't have admired her, they'd have held her in contempt. The SHAME! The SCANDAL! Oh my!
Of all the Fauntleroys extant, Bartholomew comes closest to the original, even delivering exact lines in exactly the tone one can hear in Burnett's writing. Even the parts added to "improve" the story, as the fight between Ceddie, Dick and the "toughs", are well-done. (After all, how can you show a red-blooded American boy unless you have him beating the cr@p out of someone?)
And, the casting was superb. Mickey Rooney once told Judy Garland that acting was simply believing that you were the character and his method and skill are so apparent here. Even the minor characters are true to the soul of the book. I love how they show that the "rival Fauntleroy" is an oaf at the beginning and a nice boy at the end without one word being said.
Schroeder's Fauntleroy is cute but the film is a travesty and Fauntleroy isn't supposed to be cute. He's supposed to be the essence of manly goodness and nobility-in-embryo and he'd have cut his vocal cords before singing "Golden Slippers".
If the BBC version is worse than Schroeder, it must be bloody awful.
Amazon has the Bartholomew version. Buy it.
Movie Review: Terrible
Summary: 1 Stars
A dreadful version of the Burnett classic. The boy playing Cedric is far too old for the part - the only thing that saved Ceddie in the book from being cute enough to puke over was the fact that he was only seven years old. This kid comes off as insipid and painfully effeminate. Other boys his age would beat the snot out of him the moment they saw him, and rightfully so. I felt like giving him a few whacks myself.
In addition, it takes away the punch of the Earl's redemption - this version has him sending Cedric out of the house when it looks as though his claim is false (albeit regretfully), while in the book and the other two movie versions he has come to value his grandson for who he is, not for the title he holds - a great leap considering how little he had valued Ceddie's father.
Skip this version. Stick with the Freddie Bartholomew or Ricky Schroder interpretations, both of which are far superior.
Movie Review: Not an option
Summary: 1 Stars
If you want to watch a version of this movie, buy the Rick Schroder one, or Mickey Rooney. The acting in this version was was so painful that I had to turn it off. Not one of the actors tugged at your heart strings and that is the whole reason behind this story. Seddy has to leave his mothers home to live with his cranky grandpa. Does a great job being the little earl. If you do choose to watch this one, rent the Rick Schroder one, you will be very pleasantly surprised!Movie Review: Little Lord Fauntleroy
Summary: 1 Stars
I was terribly disappointed when I started watching this movie and realized it wasn't the one with Rick Schroder that was made in the 80's. I felt misguided since you listed his name in the credits.
This version isn't "that" bad, although I found it too slow, only if you hadn't seen that other one before; otherwise, spare yourselves and don't even try it!
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