It was so heart felt and cute, and then they end it like that??? He should have gotten a better job or something, after you see he is willing to sacrifice himself for her... they just end it, and poor Penny will never see her father ever again? Or do they hint that she will visit him? oh its so sad. but she is so cute, so it makes it worth it.
steffany
I agree too, the ending is really sad. I honestly thought the ending could have been better as well. After Jerry turned himself in, he should have went straight all together, got Penny back, and they would have moved on with their lives.
shareI actually saw this film in its entirety for the first time the other day. Shirley is absolutely amazing in this film! However, I found much of the plot to be very slow and plodding. I agree about the ending, however, the script writers had their backs against the wall on this one. The Hays Code, a federal law oversaw decency in films, had a list of "do's and don'ts" for film production. One of these requirements was that crime must go be seen as going unpunished. Had Cooper just quietly "reformed" after all the scams he pulled on people, and also for shooting and presumably killing "Uncle Felix", it would have gone against the "Code".
I guess one could argue that Frank Morgan in Dimples got away with the stuff he did, but I guess since Now and Forever was really more of a "crime" type of film, rather than a "kiddie pic", maybe they had to write it this way since it would have been more scrutinized, and also, 1934 was the very beginning of the "Code". Apparently, even though one might not have to be punished by law under "the code", they would get some kind of karmic "kick back" in some other way.
I really found that I didn't like the old lady who ends up taking Shirley. I think they could have done a better job - Jane Darwell or Helen Westley would have played this role better. I didn't sense any relationship between the two and that she seemed to just want Shirley as just another plaything.
But the part I had the biggest problem with in this film was the fact that these two parents are sending their SIX year old daughter AWAY to school! I dont' think this was a standard practice even in the 1930's. I found it to be ridiculous. He steals the necklace to send her AWAY?? I thought he just gave up $75,000 in order to keep her with him! She would have been better staying with "uncle George" than going so far away to school that she had to go on a train.
I just found that to be really unbelievable and disturbing.
Despite the plot flaws, I found Shirley to be absolutely adorable in this film-the whole scene where she finds the necklace in the bear...and sobs on the bed. She was really amazing!
Curious how Fox loaned her out a second time, mid 1934, for this film to Paramount after she had already had success at Paramount with Little Miss Marker, and at Fox for Baby Take A Bow. This was the end of the loan outs though - Fox kept her at her home studio until 1940.