Little Mister Jim

1946 film by Fred Zinnemann

Butch Jenkins
James Craig
Frances Gifford

CinematographyLester WhiteEdited byFrank E. HullMusic byGeorge Bassman

Production
company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Distributed byLoew's Inc.

Release date

June 10, 1946 (1946-06-10)

Running time

92 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget$1,085,000^[1]Box office$787,000^[1]

Little Mister Jim is a 1946 American drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Butch Jenkins, James Craig and Frances Gifford.

Plot

Army captain "Big Jim" Tukker has a young son, Little Jim, who runs away from home. Once found, the unhappy boy is cheered by the news that he will soon be getting a new baby brother or sister. But when his mother dies in childbirth, his father takes to drinking, neglecting him.

Others intervene on the boy's behalf, including Sui Jen, the family servant. Efforts to shake Big Jim out of his depression fail until Sui Jen begins teaching the child Chinese philosophy and faith, going so far as to dress him in Chinese apparel. The boy's father realizes he must take a more personal interest in parenting, then discovers, to his astonishment, that Sui Jen is actually an officer in the Chinese army.

Cast

James Craig as Capt. Tukker
Butch Jenkins as Little Jim
Frances Gifford as Jean
Laura La Plante as Mrs. Glenson
Spring Byington as Mrs. Starwell
Morris Ankrum as Mr. Starwell
Chingwah Lee as Sui Jen
Celia Travers as Miss Martin
Luana Patten as Missey

Production

Parts of the film were shot in Fort Douglas, Utah.^[2]^: 288

Reception

According to MGM records the film was not a hit, earning $533,000 in the US and Canada and $254,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $640,000.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
^ D'Arc, James V. (2010). When Hollywood came to town: A history of moviemaking in Utah (1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith. ISBN 9781423605874.