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Daddy Long Legs

Daddy Long Legs

6.406

1955

126 min

Music

Romance

Wealthy American, Jervis Pendleton has a chance encounter at a French orphanage with a cheerful 18-year-old resident, and anonymously pays for her education at a New England college. She writes letters to her mysterious benefactor regularly, but he never writes back. Several years later, he visits her at school, while still concealing his identity, and—despite their large age difference—they soon fall in love.

Daddy Long Legs

6.406

1955

126 min

Music

Romance

Wealthy American, Jervis Pendleton has a chance encounter at a French orphanage with a cheerful 18-year-old resident, and anonymously pays for her education at a New England college. She writes letters to her mysterious benefactor regularly, but he never writes back. Several years later, he visits her at school, while still concealing his identity, and—despite their large age difference—they soon fall in love.

Cast

Fred Astaire

Jervis Pendleton III

Leslie Caron

Julie Andre

Terry Moore

Linda Pendleton

Thelma Ritter

Alicia Pritchard

Fred Clark

Griggs

Charlotte Austin

Sally McBride

Larry Keating

Ambassador Alexander Williamson

Kathryn Givney

Gertrude Pendleton

Kelly Brown

Jimmy McBride

Ray Anthony

Himself

Gertrude Astor

Art Gallery Patron (uncredited)

Barrie Chase

Blonde dancer (in "International Playboy") (uncredited)

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

1 year ago

"Jervis" (Fred Astaire) comes from a distinguished line of American millionaires who is travelling through France one day with his savvy factotum "Griggs" (Fred Clark) when he alights on the orphaned "Julie" (the hugely charming Leslie Caron) who is teaching young kids with a contagious enthusiasm that encourages the wealthy man to facilitate her education at one of the colleges he just about owns in New England. She is excited about the prospect, but in best "Great Expectations" tradition, is unaware of the identity of her benefactor. She's grateful though, and regularly writes to him - letters that "Griggs" files rather than shares. This all becomes even more complicated when the girl becomes frustrated at the lack of responses and when two meet and begin to fall in love. "Something's Gotta Give" is the standard featured here, but there are plenty of other lively and perfectly choreographed numbers from two stars who gel well on screen together. Clark steals the show for me, his curmudgeonly but wily role well complemented by the occasional appearance of Thelma Ritter's "Alicia" and though it is certainly far too slow to get going - and is generally too long as well - the dynamic works well enough to keep a smile on your face for much of this gently simmering love story that has something of the "Cinderella" story to it.