Lost Angel review by Orlando C. Fernando updated January 15, 2000 Storyline: 8 (0=worst, 10=best) Originality: 7 Acting: 8.5 Special Effects: 0 Overall: B+ (F=worst, A=best)

I'm not usually a fan of classic movies of the 20's through 50's.
Adorable movies such as this one and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" slowly convert me into liking these simple, low-violent, yet clean language and very entertaining films of yesteryear. In this 1944 film, Alpha (Margaret O'Brien) is a 6 year old prodigy being brought up parent-less in a highly respected educational institution for gifted children. She gets lots of reading exposure, logical puzzles, advanced language skills, but misses one key element in growing up: people in the outside world. She manages to wander the streets outside and tries to meet a newspaper reporter Mike Regan (James Craig) who says he can teach her magic.

Eventually she gets involved with this reporter's life, fiancee (Marsha Hunt), and work, which becomes more than he can handle. Finally, he has to take care of her at his apartment because a colleague at the institution has a bad case of measles, and everyone inside has to be quarantined (no one can get out nor come in). She can be returned when the quarantine is lifted.

Little Margaret clearly steals the show in this movie.
How? Two things: her poised, surprisingly mature acting skills and overall, extreme cuteness. She even cuter than young Shirley Temple! :) The first scenes between Alpha and Mike on the streets are both weird and wonderful as he teaches her the ways of different people on the streets and the planes in the air (saying that they are like magic carpets). Her high intelligence wows the people at Mike's office, his fiancee's restaurant, and even a boxing ring. But what Mike does not realize he also teaches her is how to love people unconditionally - something that he generally lacks with his fiancee. A side plot which involves an ex-convict revolver-carrying Packy (Keenan Wynn) which Mike must aid is a bizarre situation. However, it provides a lot of comic relief to this tender film, turning Mike's world upside down with Alpha enjoying every moment of the ride. And the climax does become a light tear jerker when Alpha has to be returned to the institution. Mike does not realize until then that he needs to practice what he preaches to keep the love of his fiancee and now Alpha. And it does have a classic movie style happy ending.

Final words:
This has been my second highly enjoyed classic movie since "Breakfast at Tiffany's," which I may give another look at now. Margaret's child actress stardom that I heard she displayed beautifully with Judy Garland in "Meet Me in St. Louis" and on her own in "Little Women" also shines in this film. It's her cuteness and the coming-of-age things she says that will have you laughing and "awwwing" over her throughout this film. And it has a unique way of carrying its message of what people do "when they love someone".

Copyright 2001 by Orlando C. Fernando. This page is for personal use only. It may be openly distributed for nonprofit in whole or part, but authorship must be credited. Margaret O' Brien picture taken with permission from ladybird@bart.nl and mt@jwvliet.demon.nl from their Margaret O' Brien web site.