Paddy O'Day

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Movie
Original title Paddy O'Day
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1935
length 73 minutes
Rod
Director Lewis Seiler
script Lou Breslow ,
Edward Eliscu
production Sol M. Wurtzel
music Samuel Kaylin
camera Arthur C. Miller
cut Alfred DeGaetano
occupation

Paddy O'Day is an American film musical with Jane Withers and Rita Hayworth from 1935. It was based on a story by Sonya Levien .

action

Eight-year-old Paddy O'Day travels with her little dog Tim on a ship from her native Ireland to New York to live with her mother, who works as a cook for a wealthy family there. When she arrived in Ellis Island , she was told by Tom McGuire, an immigration officer, that her mother could not pick her up because she was sick. In truth, however, Paddy's mother passed away a few days ago. Although McGuire feels sorry for Paddy and therefore cannot bring himself to tell Paddy the truth, he wants to send her back to Ireland immediately. The pretty Tamara Petrovitch, an immigrant from Russia, with whom Paddy became friends on the crossing and shared a cabin , learns of Mrs. O'Day's death. Since Paddy has no further relatives in Ireland, Tamara wants to look after the little girl. But McGuire cannot be changed. Paddy escapes from Ellis Island in a truck container and then goes to see her mother.

After she gets into a conflict with a couple of street kids who make fun of her Irish accent , a compassionate police officer hires a cab driver to take Paddy to her mother's place of work in Southampton. There, together with his dominant aunts Flora and Jane, lives the shy Roy Ford, who loves nothing more than writing songs and devoting himself to his collection of stuffed birds. When Paddy arrives at Roy's house, the maid Dora finally tells her that her mother has died. Given Paddy's unfortunate situation, Dora persuades the other Ford servants to take Paddy up in the house and hide him there. When Flora and Jane want to go on a trip and pack their things, they hear Paddy's dog Tim chasing the house cat. Paddy gets hold of Tim and escapes into Roy's room, where she can just prevent Tim from pouncing on one of the stuffed birds. Roy is relieved and hides Paddy's whereabouts from his aunts when they step into his room to say goodbye.

One day Tamara and her cousin, Mischa, visit Paddy at their temporary home. Tamara is convinced that Paddy is better off with her, since the immigration authorities would in all likelihood look for Paddy with the Fords sooner or later. Roy agrees with the proposal and since he immediately feels drawn to Tamara, a short time later he is persuaded by café owner Mischa to invest $ 10,000 in his café to turn it into a show theater. Although Tamara warns him of Mischa's overzealous idea, Roy still wants to become a partner, hoping to get to know Tamara better in this way. Soon Roy's house is full of live caged birds. With his new friends, he is getting more and more out of his shell, writing songs for the show and even performing on stage alongside Tamara and Paddy. When his aunts return from their trip, they are more than outraged by the changed behavior and the new acquaintances of their nephew. They therefore decide to hand Paddy and Tamara over to the immigration authorities and send Roy to a sanatorium until he is the same again. After another show that is cheered by the audience, Flora and Jane appear backstage with McGuire to arrest Paddy and Tamara. To save her from her fate, Roy decides to adopt Paddy and reveal to his aunts that he secretly married Tamara the day before. Now Paddy and Tamara can no longer be deported. While his aunts faint, Roy and Tamara hug each other.

background

Rita Hayworth, who still appeared under the name Rita Cansino in Paddy O'Day , was discovered by Winfield Sheehan, the Vice President of Fox Film Corporation , and selected by him especially for the role of Tamara Petrovitch, who after three roles with only To give little or no dialogue the chance to show her acting talent in addition to her dancing talent. He then wanted to cast Hayworth in the prestigious Technicolor film Ramona as the title heroine. But when Fox in 1935 shortly after the filming of Paddy O'Day with Darryl F. Zanuck studio 20th Century Pictures to 20th Century Fox occupied Zanuck merged, the role of Ramona with Loretta Young . He also fired a number of actors from Fox, including Hayworth, who subsequently had to keep their heads above water with B-films from small independent production companies before they were permanently signed by Columbia Pictures in 1937 .

To Zanuck's displeasure, Paddy O'Day was popular with both audiences and critics as a rival Fox product for its moderate budget .

Music and dance numbers

  • I Like a Balalaika (Troy Sanders / Edward Eliscu)
  • Keep That Twinkle in Your Eye (Sanders / Eliscu)
  • Changing My Ambitions (Pinky Tomlin)
  • Which Is Which (Harry Akst / Sidney Clare)

Reviews

"Jane Withers brings a lot of laughs and a few tears to this simple little story about the adventures of an Irish orphan in New York," said Photoplay . According to Weekly Variety , Rita Hayworth makes "a nice impression, although she is known more as a dancer than an actress". Bosley Crowther of the New York Times wrote at the time that Jane Withers, who "sings and dances into the hearts of all viewers" in the film, proves to be "true Shirley Temple of her age group (8 to 10)". The film is also "at a good pace".

Bruce Eder of the All Movie Guide retrospectively concluded that Paddy O'Day shows "how good even a humble little B-movie can be". Jane Withers is "adorable as a brave little Irish girl". The script is helpful to her, "which only appears overly sweet and sentimental at strategic points". The 17-year-old Rita Hayworth, on the other hand, "not only cuts a good figure as a dancer", but also shows "good approaches in her first real attempt as an actress". Director Lewis Seiler had "handled the plot, tension and wit as well". All in all, Paddy O'Day is “definitely not a great film”, but “a great example of good entertainment with a heart and some interesting messages”.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 66.
  2. ↑ "Jane Withers brings plenty of laughs and some tears in this homely little story of an Irish orphan's kaleidoscopic adventures in New York." Photoplay quot. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 66.
  3. ↑ "Rita Cansino comes along nicely in this, though she is better known as a dancer than a player." Weekly Variety quoted. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 66.
  4. ↑ “Miss Jane Withers […] who sings and dances her way into everybody's affections […] proves herself to be the veritable Shirley Temple of her age group (8 to 10). [...] The picture roars along at a good pace. " Bosley Crowther : Paddy O'Day (1935) . In: The New York Times , February 8, 1936.
  5. ↑ “ Paddy O'Day […] shows how good even a modest little B-picture could be. Jane Withers is a delight as the plucky little Irish girl […]. She's helped immeasurably by a script that is only overly sweet and sentimental at strategic moments [...]. 17-year-old Rita Cansino […] not only cutting a compelling figure as a dancer but doing quite well her first time out as an actress. Director Lewis Seiler handles the action, suspense, and comedy equally well […]. Paddy O'Day is not a great picture by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a great account of the kind of good entertainment with a heart and some interesting messages. " Bruce Eder, cf. omovie.com