Once upon a Time

Once upon a Time (1944)

Genres - Comedy  |   Sub-Genres - Farce, Showbiz Comedy  |   Release Date - Jun 29, 1944 (USA - Unknown), Jun 29, 1944 (USA)  |   Run Time - 89 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Based on Norman Corwin's satirical radio play My Client Curley, Once Upon a Time is an engaging bit of whimsy, completely dominated by the personality of star Cary Grant. It all begins when fly-by-night Broadway producer Jerry Flynn (Grant) learns of a trained caterpillar (!) that dances to the tune of "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby." In short order, Jerry has promoted Curly the Caterpillar to international stardom-and in the process he alienates both Pinky Thompson (Ted Donaldson), the impressionable 9-year-old who owns Curley, and Pinky's attractive older sister Jeanne (Janet Blair). Eventually, Flynn comes to his senses and regains his essential decency-though it's too late to continue capitalizing on Curley, who has turned into a non-dancing butterfly! Full of delightful contemporary references and "cameo appearances" by such celebrities as producer Walt Disney and radio commentator Gabriel Heatter (both played by uncredited impressionists), Once Upon a Time proved an agreeable diversion for wartime audiences.

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Keywords

Broadway, caterpillar, fame, producer [showbiz], sister