One tends to think of the "B" picture as the second feature of a twin bill, used by many exhibitors from the 1930s to the 1950s to attract more patrons, for a longer afternoon at the neighborhood theater. The "B" picture often had a shorter running time, was produced on a smaller budget and rented for a modest fee, and sometimes had casts with less marquee strength. Nat Levine's Mascot Pictures specialized in serials and lower-budget features, but his comparatively lavish production of "Little Men" has many of the attributes of an "A" production. It generally stood alone in showings around the Christmas 1934 season and attracted favorable reviews. It is probably Mascot's most prestigious feature film.
Louisa May Alcott's classic 19th century novels, "Little Women" and "Little Men," the first being semi-autobiographical, were adapted for the screen on more than one occasion. Levine's well-mounted production was assigned to long-time director/cinematographer Phil Rosen, who successfully recreated the era in which the story was set, with a very strong cast. Erin O'Brien-Moore charmingly portrays "Jo," the character with whom Louisa May Alcott identified, while the dependable Ralph Morgan portrays her husband, Professor Bhaer, owner and teacher at Plumfield School.
David Durand, one of the best child actors of the era, is excellent as "Nat," an orphan befriended by Jo, while Frankie Darro contributes a spirited performance as "Dan," a troubled adolescent. Screen adaptations seldom closely follow the novel on which they are based, but Rosen keeps the characters and situations appealing and interesting. The photography of Ernie Miller and William Nobles is consistent with their typically high standard. Any viewer not repelled by sentimentality will find this Mascot feature highly enjoyable, with fine performances and direction which pleasantly take us back to Louisa May Alcott's era - a time far removed from our own.
