''The Beloved Brat'' is a 1938 American comedy-drama film directed by

Arthur Lubin Arthur Lubin (July 25, 1898 – May 11, 1995) was an American film director and producer who directed several ''Abbott & Costello'' films, '' Phantom of the Opera'' (1943), the '' Francis the Talking Mule'' series and created the talking-horse TV ...

and starring Bonita Granville,

Dolores Costello Dolores Costello (September 17, 1903Costello's obituary in ''The New York Times'' says that she was born on September 17, 1905. – March 1, 1979) was an American film actress who achieved her greatest success during the era of silent movies. ...

, and

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...

. The screenplay was written by

Lawrence Kimble Lawrence Edwin Kimble (September 21, 1904 – September 3, 1977) was an American screenwriter. Early life and career On September 21, 1904, Kimble was born in Bakersfield, California, one of five children born to Sarah Elizabeth Stanley and Arth ...

from an original story by

Jean Negulesco Jean Negulesco (born Ioan Negulescu; – 18 July 1993) was a Romanian-American film director and screenwriter.Oliver, Myrna"Jean Negulesco 1900–1993 ''The Los Angeles Times'', 22 July 1993. He first gained notice for his film noirs and later ...

Plot

Roberta Morgan has wealthy parents who give her plenty of material possessions but who basically ignore her. She acts out and torments the family butler Jenkins. The only person to take notice of her thirteenth birthday is her father's secretary, Williams. She makes friends with a black boy, Pinkie White, and visits his home. She is impressed by the love Pinkie's mother, Mrs White, shows Pinkie and his sister Arabella. Roberta invites Pinkie to dinner to say thank you and Jenkins angrily throws out Pinkie. Roberta's parents go away and Roberta starts behaving even more badly. Jenkins locks her in her room. She sets fire to it and escapes. Jenkins tracks her to Pinkie's house. On the way home in the car, they argue and Roberta grabs the steering wheel causing the car to swerve into an oncoming car and kill the driver. Roberta tells the police that Jenkins was drinking and the butler is sentenced to prison for manslaughter. Guilt ridden she confesses that she made it up. Roberta is sentenced to a special girls' school run by Helen Cosgrove. Helen manages to reform Roberta by getting her to help with younger students. When Roberta is allowed to return home, she refuses to leave. Her parents hear about this and change their ways.

Cast

* Bonita Granville as Roberta Morgan *

as Helen Cosgrove *

as John Morgan *

Donald Briggs Donald Briggs (January 28, 1911 – February 3, 1986) was an American actor, who appeared in over 75 films and television shows between the 1930s and 1970s. Early life Briggs was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in Woodland Hills, California ...

as Jerome Williams *

Natalie Moorhead Natalie Moorhead (born Nathalian Morehead, July 27, 1901 – October 6, 1992) was an American film and stage actress of the 1920s and 1930s. She was known for distinctive platinum blond hair. Early years Moorehead grew up in Pittsburgh. ...

as Evelyn Morgan * Lucile Gleason as Miss Brewster *

Leo Gorcey Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917– June 2, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, famous for portraying the leader of a group of hooligans known variously as the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids and, as adults, The Bowery Boys. Gorcey was ...

as Spike Matz *

Emmett Vogan Charles Emmett Vogan (September 27, 1893 – October 6, 1969) was an American actor with almost 500 film appearances from 1934 to 1954, making him, along with Bess Flowers, one of the most prolific film actors of all time. In 1913, Vogan ...

as Mr. Jenkins * Loia Cheaney as Mrs. Jenkins * Paul Everton as Judge Henry Harris * Bernice Pilot as Mrs. White * Stymie Beard as Pinkie White * Meredith White as Arabella White * Mary Doyle as Miss Mitchell * Ellen Lowe as Anna * Gloria Fisher as Boots ;Uncredited * Betty Compson as Eleanor Sparks * Sarah Edwards as Miss Brundage * Doris Bren as Jackie *

Carmencita Johnson Carmencita Johnson (March 31, 1923 – September 26, 2000) was an American actress. She was best known as a child actress in the 1920s and 1930s. Early life and career Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California, to Wynonah B. (née Breazeale) ...

as Estelle *

Ottola Nesmith Ottola Nesmith (December 12, 1889 – February 7, 1972) was an American actress who appeared in more than 100 films and television shows. Selected filmography * '' Still Waters'' (1915) - Drasa La Rue * '' Rich Man, Poor Man'' (1918) - Mr ...

as Mrs. Higgins * Priscilla Lyon as Sylvia *

Lottie Williams Lottie Williams (January 20, 1874 – November 16, 1962) was an American character actress whose career spanned both the silent and sound film eras. Early life Lottie Williams was born on January 20, 1874, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Career ...

as Marie * Patsy Mitchell as Betty Mae * Douglas Wood as Mr. Butler * William Worthington as Dr. Reynolds *

Jessie Arnold Jessie Arnold (December 3, 1884 – May 5, 1955) was an American character and film actress. She was a character actress who appeared in more than 150 films from silent shorts to the early 1950s. She starred in the 1916 film ''Cross Purposes'' dir ...

as Nurse * Mary Avery as Teacher * Isabelle LaMal as Teacher * Louise Bates as Mrs. Morgan's Guest * Jesse Graves as Butler at Party * Gordon Hart as Trial Judge *

Glen Cavender Glen Cavender (September 19, 1883 – February 9, 1962) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1914 and 1949. Biography Glen Cavender was born in Tucson, Arizona, and died in Hollywood, California. He start ...

as Fireman *

Jack Mower Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Honolulu and died in Hollywood. After studying at Punahou College, in Honolulu, Mower moved ...

as Fireman * Cliff Saum as Fireman * Al Duvall as First Cab Driver *

John Harron John Harron (March 31, 1903 – November 24, 1939) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1918 and 1940. Born in New York, New York, he was the brother of actor Robert Harron and of actress Mary Harron. Harron di ...

as Second Cab Driver * Monte Vandergrift as Police Officer * Victor Wong as Gardener

Production

The film was initially titled ''Too Much of Everything''. Dolores Costello signed in September 1937. It was her comeback picture for Warners. In November the title was changed to ''Girls on Probation''. Arthur Lubin directed in November 1937. The title was finally changed to ''Beloved Brat'' in January 1938.

Reception

''Diabolique'' magazine in 2019 described it as "an entertaining star vehicle for Bonita Granville, playing a poor little rich girl who sets her room on fire, accidentally kills a motorist by grabbing the wheel of a speeding car, sends the racist family butler to prison for the crime by perjuring herself on the stand, is sent to reform school and… actually reforms... of cultural interest in that it shows a black mother character to be a far superior parent to Granville's parents, and Granville's best friend is a black boy."

References

External links

*
The Beloved Brat
at Letterbox DVD * *
''The Beloved Brat''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery (United Kingdom), National Lot ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beloved Brat, The 1938 films 1938 comedy-drama films American black-and-white films American comedy-drama films Films directed by Arthur Lubin First National Pictures films Warner Bros. films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films