AllMovie

While it's not an all-time great film, it's surprising that Kathy O' is virtually unknown. Perhaps it's due in part to the title, which is odd and gives no indication of what the film is about. Most viewers who do stumble across it on one of its rare television showings come away feeling pleasantly served. It's one of the few films, especially of the period, to deal at all with he reality of the child star system, and while it definitely sugarcoats things, it still deserves points for looking into this area at all. And the sugarcoating works well, making for a story that is heartwarming. Is it manipulative? Absolutely, and sometimes it goes too far in that direction. But most of the time it's easy-to-take manipulation, and if the set-up between the child star and the writer is a bit too pat and the kidnapping charge a bit silly, somehow most viewers will forgive it these contrivances. It's a treat to see Patty McCormack in something other than The Bad Seed, and she turns in a fine job. Viewers of Seed know she can handle the obnoxious, demanding part of her role, but she's also quite fine in the more vulnerable moments. Mary Flickett is quite appealing, and though Dan Duryea never is 100% convincing in a "good guy" part, he still does a very decent job here. Jack Sher's direction is solid, and the whole project is quite decent -- a little film that one enjoys despite its shortcomings.