by Hal Erickson
synopsis
This 28 1/2-minute drama was produced by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith. Based on a true story, the film demonstrates the insidious evil of racial prejudice. A young girl's life is thrown into turmoil when her neighbors mistakenly assume that she's Jewish. As in the 1947 Gentlemen's Agreement, the moral of the story seems to be that it requires a Gentile to awaken others to the wickedness of anti-Semitism. The cast is populated by several top New York talents, including Frank Overton, Audra Lindley, and 12-year-old Patty Duke. American Girl was the 16th in a series of films prepared for simultaneous TV and theatrical release by the Anti-Defamation league.
