Directed by Maurice Tourneur
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, Milestone)
Mary Pickford, 26 at the time of filming, plays a 10-year-old girl. The diminutive Pickford is surrounded by tall actors and wears loose fitting dresses, but it is still a distraction. Her father is absorbed in Wall Street while her mother mingles in society circles, leaving little time for little Gwen. She tries to get their attention, and end her boredom, by getting in a series of minor escapades, such as fighting with the local gang of boys or ruining the plumbing in the bathroom. One day she is accidentally poisoned by an overdose of sleeping medicine, and has a vivid fantasy in the resulting delirium. The brush with death finally reconciles her with her parents. The dream sequences are interesting but marred by amateurish touches, such as people in animal suits, and go on for far too long. However, it's hard to dislike anything with Mary Pickford, one of my favorite silent film stars, and her personality always shines through.
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