Kathy O' (1958)

Director:

Jack Sher

Writers:

Sy Gomberg (writer)
Jack Sher (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1958 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

That Little Shocker of "The Bad Seed" is Back to Rock You in a Whole New Wonderful Way!

Plot:

A publicity man tries to hide a child film star's brattiness from a magazine writer, who happens to be his ex-wife.

Plot Keywords:

Publicity | Ex Wife | Brat | Interview | Runaway

Cast

Dan Duryea	...	Harry Johnson
Jan Sterling	...	Celeste Saunders
Patty McCormack	...	Kathy O'Rourke
Mary Fickett	...	Helen Johnson
Sam Levene	...	Ben Melnick
Mary Jane Croft	...	Harriet Burton / Aunt Harriet
Ricky Kelman	...	Robert 'Bo' Johnson
Terry Kelman	...	Tommy Johnson
Ainslie Pryor	...	Lt. Chavez
Barney Phillips	...	Matt Williams
Mel Leonard	...	Sid
Casey Walters	...	Billy Blair, Photographer
Walter Woolf King	...	Donald C. Faber
Alexander Campbell	...	Bixby, Fisherman on Dina Lee
Joseph Sargent	...	Mike

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:S

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Quotes:

Ben Melnick: There's a law against hitting actresses. Legally, they're considered women.

Soundtrack:

KATHY O'

Everything negative can be redeemed with love

When I read a synopsis for "Kathy O'" and learned it was about a bratty child star who keeps adults rushing around to please her, I pictured something screechy and inane. "Kathy O'" is actually a plush little comedy-drama that does nearly the impossible: it illustrates how the pressures of Hollywood can be painful and frustrating even for a child-actor in the midst of her success. Kathy is not a little tyrant, she's tired and anxious and cranky. A publicist (also all of the above!) reintroduces her to family life and normalcy, and she begins to brighten. Movies about personal redemption always tend to work if the build-up is right, and here it's done tastefully and emotionally. By the end, I was enamored of this youngster who blossoms under the right circumstances. Movies about the movies are usually a little coy, but "Kathy O'" is an exception. It understands the movie world and is quite wise (but not ugly) about actors' lives off-screen. It also recognizes everyday life in suburbia for the grind it can be, but also how much more wonderful it is when shared with people you care about. Kathy learns to care, and, in turn, I came to care about her. *** from ****