Little Lord Fauntleroy (1921)

Film version of the classic novel by Francis Hodgson Burnett. A young American boy, Cedric, is the only comfort of his rather sentimental Mother, who seems to be called "Dearest". She keeps his hair styled in curls and ringlets, which occasionally makes him the target of bullies. It emerges that Cedric is the only heir of the wealthy, but crusty and elderly, Lord Fauntleroy in England. Fauntleroy calls for the boy to join him there, and Cedric's lively spirit rekindles the old man's sense of humanity.

Mary Pickford played the boy, and his Mother. She is reduced in size to get the effect, and they showed her as the boy and his Mother in close contact in several shots. Cedric's waist is thickened too ... a little too much in my opinion.

The boy, and the whole story, come over as too mawkish for today's taste, and the silent setup limits the possible subtleties anyway, but it's interesting as a historical document. In the street scene at the beginning, there are fine public buildings and a pavement (sidewalk) but the broad road itself is unsurfaced mud.

HF December 2002

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