Once Upon a Time (1944)

 Smalltime crookster and showman Jerry Flynn is desperately searching for a new act to promote in order to save him from ruin. He meets a boy on the street who claims to have a dancing caterpillar called Curly. Flynn seizes the opportunity for fame and fortune at Curly's expense

THE MOVIE PLOT:

Jerry Flynn (Cary Grant) has to come up with $100,000 within a week to keep his theater. By chance, youngster Arthur "Pinky" Thompson (Ted Donaldson) shows him "Curly" (the original title of the film), a caterpillar that gets up on its tail and dances when Pinky plays "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" on his harmonica. Pinky refuses to let Jerry buy his friend, so they become partners. The boy is an orphan being raised by his showgirl sister Jeannie (Janet Blair), so he soon becomes very attached to Jerry, as does his sister.

Jerry is soon publicizing Curly, managing to generate a nationwide sensation. Brandt (William Demarest), a suspicious reporter who has been feuding with Jerry, brings in scientists to examine Curly. To his great disappointment, the caterpillar turns out to be genuine. When the scientists want to keep Curly for further research (and later dissection), it causes a national uproar, with people divided in their opinions.

Meanwhile, behind Pinky's back, Jerry negotiates to sell Curly to Walt Disney, finally getting his price of $100,000. Jerry orders his assistant, the "Moke" (James Gleason), to steal Curly while Pinky is asleep, but the boy wakes up and takes Curly home. Jerry confronts a heartbroken Pinky and gets the insect, but is so ashamed of himself that he leaves the apartment without Curly.

Later, Curly goes missing. Meanwhile, knowing that Jerry and Pinky miss each other, the Moke arranges with the boys of the various Curly fan clubs that have sprung up to get them back together. After their happy reconciliation, Jerry discovers that Curly has transformed into a butterfly.

Cast * Cary Grant as Jerry Flynn * Janet Blair as Jeannie Thompson * James Gleason as McGillicuddy / the "Moke" * Ted Donaldson as Arthur "Pinky" Thompson * William Demarest as Brandt

SYNOPSIS (TCM)

 After staging three flops in a row, Broadway producer Jerry Flynn is in danger of losing his theater because he is unable to pay the $100,000 note that he owes the bank. After his banker, McKenzie, grants him only one week to pay the note, Jerry wanders out into the street, where nine-year old Arthur "Pinky" Thompson and his friend Fatso are playing the harmonica. When Jerry pitches his last nickle over his shoulder for good luck, the boys pocket the coin and offer the producer a peek at Curly, Pinky's dancing caterpillar. Peering into Curly's shoe box, Jerry is amazed to see the caterpillar stand up and begin to wiggle as Pinky plays "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" on the harmonica. Certain that he can build Curly into a celebrity, Jerry offers to buy the insect, but Pinky refuses, claiming that Curly is his friend. Jerry then proposes forming a partnership with Pinky to promote Curly, and the boy accepts. Soon after, Jeanne Thompson, Pinky's sister and guardian, comes looking for her brother. When Jerry gushes his admiration for Curly, Jeanne declares that he is insane and ushers her brother home. Undaunted, Jerry tells Fatso to bring Pinky to his hotel suite the next morning, and there he introduces The Moke, his right-hand man, to Curly. Although Moke is unimpressed with the "dancing worm," Jerry boasts that he will build the caterpillar into a $100,000 investment and directs Moke to bring all the local columnists to his hotel suite. The reporters greet Jerry's tale of "how he found fantasy on the sidewalk" with derision and refuse to peer into Curly's shoe box to see the dancing caterpillar. In the hotel lobby, reporter Brant, Jerry's antagonist, phones his editor to mock Jerry's story. Brant's call is overheard by radio announcer Gabriel Heatter, who is intrigued by Curly's talents and invites Curly, Pinky and Jerry to his office. On his broadcast that night, Heatter relates the story of Pinky and Curly, turning it into a parable about hope. The tale of the boy and the bug inspires the audience, making Curly and Pinky instant celebrities. Among those flocking to see the celebrated insect is Dunhill, a representative from Walt Disney, who offers to buy Curly. Jerry, who has promised Pinky that he would never sell the caterpillar, sets Curly's price at $100,000, the amount that he owes the bank. After Dunhill leaves to present Jerry's offer to Disney, Jeanne arrives, upset about her brother's instant fame, and insists that Pinky immediately return home. As news of the dancing caterpillar sweeps the nation, Jerry and Pinky scheme to win Jeanne's sympathy. Sobbing that he doesn't want to live unless he can continue his partnership with Jerry, Pinky climbs onto a window ledge and threatens to jump. Blaming herself for Pinky's misery, Jeanne relents and allows him to move in with Jerry. Jerry's next challenge comes when a team of lepidopterists dispute Curly's dancing ability. After submitting the caterpillar to the scientists for examination, Jerry instructs Pinky to play "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" on his harmonica. When Curly stands up and begins to sway with the music, the scientists authenticate the insect's musical abilities and demand that he remain in their possession. In response, Jerry accuses the scientists of denying him his bill of rights, thus sparking a nationwide debate over who owns the rights to Curly. Later, as Jerry laments Curly's lack of profitability, Disney calls and agrees to his price. That night, Jerry orders Moke to steal Curly as Pinky sleeps, and although he disapproves, Moke anesthesizes himself with drink and slips into Pinky's room. Pinky awakens just as Moke is about to snatch Curly's shoe box, and after Moke passes out on the bed, Pinky takes Curly and runs away. Jerry, meanwhile, has taken Jeanne out to dinner, and when he brings her home, he finds Pinky waiting for him. After denouncing Jerry for trying to steal Curly, Pinky hides the caterpillar. When Jerry slaps Pinky in anger, the boy hands Curly's box to him. Realizing that he has betrayed the boy, Jerry returns the shoe box, but when Pinky opens it, Curly is gone. As the city searches for the missing caterpillar, Pinky blames Jerry for Curly's loss and refuses to speak to him. Jerry is so distraught that even McKenzie's offer to let him keep the theater fails to cheer him. To patch up their friendship, Moke visits one of Curly's fan clubs and asks the boys to help reconcile Jerry and Pinky. After the boys surround Jerry and escort him to Pinky's apartment, Jerry sits at the piano and begins to play "Yes Sir, That's My Baby." When a butterfly takes flight from inside the piano, Jerry realizes that it must be Curly. Just then, Pinky enters the apartment, and when Jerry tells him the news, he joyfully welcomes Curly home. After fluttering around the room, Curly flies out an open window, and Jerry and Pinky, recognizing that the butterfly must now be free, bid their friend farewell.

Cast & Crew

Alexander Hall Director Cary Grant as Jerry Flynn Janet Blair as Jeanne Thompson James Gleason as The Moke Ted Donaldson as Arthur "Pinky" Thompson William Demarest as Brant Howard Freeman as McKenzie Art Baker as Gabriel Heatter Paul Stanton as Dunhill Mickey McGuire as Fatso Mary Currier as Secretary Anne Loos as Secretary

Release Date 11 May 1944 Color/BW Black and White Sound Mono Production Dates 13 Sep--17 Dec 1943 Alternate Title(s) Curly; My Client Curly; Yes Sir Thats My Baby Duration (in mins) 88 Duration (in feet) 7,957 Distribution Company Columbia Pictures Corp. Production Company Columbia Pictures Corp. Country United States

NY TIMES Historic Movie Review Published: June 30, 1944 Once Upon a Time (1944) THE SCREEN By BOSLEY CROWTHER Published: June 30, 1944

Have you ever seen a dancing caterpillar? Of course not, and no one else has—except Cary Grant and all the people in "Once Upon a Time," at the Music Hall. For it is such an incredible freak of nature, conceived in a whimsical vein, that is the fabulous object of attention in this genial Columbia film. And it is the imagined reaction of people to it that forms the content of this innocent romance.

The radio first played this whimsy. "My Client Curley" was the title then, and Norman Corwin derived it from a story by Lucille Fletcher Herrmann. Colombia has dressed it up a little to stretch it out on the screen, but the story is basically similar to that played on the radio. It is the story of a theatre impresario who, facing financial ruin, discovers a little boy who has a caterpillar that can dance. Immediately he sees the possibilities in exploiting this fantastic worm and puts on a ballyhoo campaign in order to run up the price to Walt Disney. But he doesn't reckon on the feelings of the youngster, and it is when he tries to take the wonder from the boy that beautiful illusions are shattered and the callous showman gets a kick in the teeth.

The wide possibilities for satire in this story are casually skipped, except for a few gentle passes, in favor of wistful romance. It is not the flashy aspects of a dancing caterpillar that are dwelt upon so much as the tender significance of this wondrous worm to a boy. And in this the story follows a rather obvious and conventional line, familiar in stories relating adults, children and animals. The writing, too, is only moderate in its qualities of tenderness, but a charming twist, based on nature, gives the climax a poetic lift.

Mr. Grant is, as usual, archly jocular through most of his role as the theatre man, and James Gleason plays his Man Friday with creased, suspicious eyes and tongue in cheek. But it is the youngster, little Ted Donaldson, who is most appealing in this film, and his round face and boyish treble do a lot to give it charm, Janet Blair has a minor assignment, which she handles adequately, and William Demarest gets little opportunity to do his best by a skeptical newspaper man. Needless to say, the caterpillar is never given a chance to perform.

Pleasant Fantasy ONCE UPON A TIME, screen play by Lewis Meltzer and Oscar Paul; adaptation by Irving Fineman; from a story by Norman Corwin and Lucille, Fletcher Herrmann; directed by Alexander Hall; produced by Louis F. Edelman for Columbia. At Radio City Music Hall.

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