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As Good As It Gets

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

THE LITTLE MINISTER (RKO Radio, 1934), directed by Richard Wallace, stars Katharine Hepburn in her sixth feature film. Following her offbeat performance as a hillbilly girl in SPITFIRE (1934), Hepburn was brought back to formula material that suited her best – a period piece costume drama the studio hoped that would equal or surpass her remarkable performance as Jo March in LITTLE WOMEN (1933). As much as a sequel to LITTLE WOMEN might have been evident for Hepburn, interestingly enough, a sequel, titled LITTLE MEN (Mascot Studios, 1934), did get made, but for another studio casting Erin O'Brien-Moore as the new but married Jo. So another "Little" story was selected, THE LITTLE MINISTER by James M. Barrie, author whose best known work being, "Peter Pan," a title character that Hepburn might have excelled had anyone ever thought of that particular possibility, but then again ...Opening title: "The year is 1840 – Our story is laid in the little unweaving town of Thrums in Scotland at a period where life was still simple." The story opens with the Scottish villagers of Thrums awaiting for the arrival of the new minister. The minister, Gavin Dishart (John Beal) comes out of the carriage with his mother (Beryl Mercer) to meet with Mr. Carfrae (Herbert Bunston), the old minister now entering retirement, and settle into his home of many years at the nearby church. During his first sermon, Gavin earns respect from the congregation by standing up against the tough drunkard, Rob Dow (Alan Hale), whom he later guides to a better life against drinking and becoming a better father to his young son, Miscah (Billy Watson). Hearing someone singing on the Sabbath, Gavin goes to the woods to investigate, meeting with a gypsy girl (Katharine Hepburn) to read her the sheriff's warning sign of proclamation, thus her laughing it off and running away. Later the gypsy girl, Barbara, better known as Babbie, tricks the minister into sounding three blasts of the horn that, unknown to him, is to alert villagers of soldiers arriving to round up militant labor leaders. She also goes against the minister for his speaking out for peace by starting a riot against soldiers headed by Captain Halliwell (Reginald Denny), as well as passing herself off as the minister's wife to get past the head guard (Charles Coleman) ordered to have her arrested. Because Gavin is talked out of helping Doctor McQueen (Donald Crisp) from moving an old woman, Nanny (Mary Gordon), from her home and into the poor house, it is believed Gavin's involvement with Babbie, whose possible connection with Lord Rintoul (Frank Conroy), a member of nobility living with his sister, Evalina (Eily Malyon) in the castle on the hill, might disgrace him and lose his position as "The Little Minister." Not as well known as Hepburn's frequently revived LITTLE WOMEN, THE LITTLE MINISTER, which had gone through several prior screen adaptations in the silent era, two alone in 1921, proved to be a logical choice for the role of Babbie. The casting of stage actor, John Beal, in his third movie performance, might have paved the way for a new and uprising actor on the rise, but while Beal did star and co-star in numerous films over the years, including another with Hepburn in BREAK OF HEARTS (1935), assuming a secondary role to Charles Boyer's leading man status, Beal, not so little for the title role, simply failed to win any iconic stature of a Clark Gable or Tyrone Power. Yet, of all his movies, THE LITTLE MINISTER is qualified to be his best solely because he's its central figure in a major 110 minute motion picture. Overall, it's Kate Hepburn or followers of James Barrie's work to be the sole reason for watching this screen adaptation today.Others in the cast include Andy Clyde as Wearywood, the policeman who fails to get any respect and authority from the villagers; Lumsden Hare (Tammas Whammond); Dorothy Stickney (Jean); Harry Beresford (John Spens); and in smaller roles, Byron Foulger, E.E. Clive and Brandon Hurst. Aside from actors speaking with Scottish dialects, the feel of merry old Scotland is felt throughout with its scenery and frequent underscoring to traditional Scottish tunes.Distributed to home video dating back to the 1980s, and much later onto DVD from Turner Home Entertainment, THE LITTLE MINISTER did have frequent cable television revivals over the years, such as American Movie Classics prior to 2001, and Turner Classic Movies. Let's hope someday TCM will show the completed THE LITTLE MINISTER by restoring its closing cast credits normally presented on other cable networks and VHS, as it did with other RKO Radio TCM titles of THE GAY Divorcée (1934), THE TOAST OF NEW YORK (1937) and CAREFREE (1938). (****)

Which may sound strange coming from someone whose favorite film is Local Hero, but the longer this slight, overly delicate movie ran the more irritated I became with it. I appreciated the care with which it was mounted, but the story is far, far too thin to justify its nearly two hour running time. The final 30 minutes or so reminded me of the similarly unendurable A.I., the way it bludgeons you with its sickening sentimentality and needlessly draws out every scene, DEMANDING that you feel something, ANYTHING, PLEASE! The only thing I felt was nauseous. There isn't enough going on here to sustain interest. The movie might have been a mild success at 70 minutes, at over 100 it wears you down.The fundamental flaw at the heart of this film is the notion that the entire town would be completely devastated at the knowledge that their new minister would have interest in the opposite sex. It isn't as if he's a Catholic priest, there's no rule forbidding him to get married. Why the town drunk would be practically suicidal at the rumors that the minister is seeing someone (and the fact she's apparently a lowly gypsy is never made much of) is never made at all clear. When his pitiful son tearfully explains that his dad is "over-fond of the minister," I really started to squirm. What exactly is this film suggesting and why are nearly all the other women in this town invisible besides Hepburn's Babbie? In any event, it is impossible to expect modern audiences to relate to a movie with such an alien plot device. It simply doesn't come off, and if the town drunk is so heartbroken over all of this, what exactly occurs in the final act that suddenly makes the minister's relationship with Hepburn okay? And if you want to see an example of weak writing and storytelling, pay attention to the whole underdeveloped subplot concerning Babbie's aristocratic suitor, the one who plans to marry her "in a fortnight." Babbie airily points out a couple times that he "doesn't really love him," so it would be no big deal if she broke off their engagement. Really? Well, why are we supposed to believe that? Could it be because the man gets virtually no screen time and is stiffly portrayed by a forgettable actor? This is most certainly NOT the stuff of which classics are made. You see, there's never any contest between this man and John Beal's minister. And therefore, no drama. If you want me to believe that Beal and Hepburn are meant for each other then, as a filmmaker, you have to come up with much more compelling reasons why they are being kept apart. If you're a fan of Hepburn or Barrie or even John Beal, you may be willing to forgive The Little Minister its many flaws, but if you're none of the above, you've been warned. This is the sort of old movie that scares people away from old movies. It wasn't much good then and it's even worse now.

This was the last film version made of this delightful story based on James Matthew Barrie's first major successful novel and play, and it is long overdue for a modern remake, done with similar charm, beauty, and simplicity, please.Here we find a timeless tale of a fresh-faced, youthful pastor boy, direct out of seminary, who loves his mother and has affection for his congregation, but who finds himself flaunting convention by falling in love against his will with a wild, beautiful gypsy girl. You could no more imagine this girl sitting quietly in a church praying than you could imagine Ted Kennedy becoming a Republican.Gavin the minister, though he is "little" in physical size, is not small in courage or intellectual honesty. He knows he is falling in love with this girl, but can't seem to help himself. He fights his feelings, but still he is attracted, like a moth to a flame. She tricks him and teases him in their first encounters, yet he still comes back for more. There's just something different about this Babbie that he cannot resist (and one senses the gypsy girl feels the same way about Gavin). We see their relationship growing, the congregation begins to suspect something is distracting their beloved new minister from his duties, and an inevitable confrontation is in the works. I won't give away any more, but go rent the video sometime or catch it on AMC or TCM, especially if you wish to see Katherine Hepburn in one of her most poignant, humorous and delightful performances (she even sings, too!). Kudos also to the late John Beal, who was perfectly cast as Gavin Dishart, the little minister. And an A-plus goes to Max Steiner for his lovely background musical score. Also, read the book by JMB when you get a chance; one can't put it down.

A mysterious & headstrong gypsy girl falls in love with THE LITTLE MINISTER called to pastor in a small Scots village. Soon her influence has him behaving in a most unclerical manner, with repercussions for the entire community.Although sadly neglected & overlooked, this fine, sentimental film, based on a 1891 novel by Sir James M. Barrie, features excellent performances and superior production values. RKO lavished care & money to get the details just right; it is a fine example of how Hollywood films of the period could evocatively portray other times, other places.Katharine Hepburn has one of her most fetching roles in the exuberant Babbie. Full of boundless energy & good humor, yet fiercely protective of those weaker & less fortunate than she, Hepburn turns in a beguiling, always entertaining, performance. While there is really no mystery as to the true identity of her character, this in no way hinders Hepburn from continually delighting her expectant audience.In the title role, John Beal (born James Alexander Bliedung in 1909) had doubtless the best role of his career in this, his second, film. By underplaying his scenes, he holds his own with the vivacious Hepburn. Exhibiting real star quality, it is unfortunate that the good movie roles failed to materialize. Beal did quite a bit of work through the years on the stage and had a triumph in television's THE ADAMS CHRONICLES in 1976. John Beal died in 1997 at the age of 87.A very fine supporting cast lends depth to the smaller roles: Andy Clyde as the lonely village policeman; Donald Crisp as the local doctor; Reginald Denny as a pompous army captain; Mary Gordon as an elderly indigent; Alan Hale as the community's repentant drunk; Lumsden Hare as a strict & powerful church deacon; Eily Malyon as a member of the aristocracy; Beryl Mercer as Beal's devout mother; and Dorothy Stickney as a fluttery maid.Mention should be made of Max Steiner's lovely score, which incorporates old & familiar tunes.A couple of historical notes: the Auld Licht (Scottish for 'Old Light') is mentioned many times in the film. This was the very conservative Church of Scotland, or Presbyterian Church in America, which had the allegiance of a majority of the Scots people. Barrie's original novel was of the Kailyard (Scottish for a small cabbage patch near a cottage) School of writing which had great favor in Scotland in the late 19th Century. This style featured highly idealized & sentimental representations of Scottish village life. Thrums in THE LITTLE MINISTER would certainly be a prime example.