Once Upon a Time

1944
Approved
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Cary Grant, Janet Blair, Ted Donaldson, and James Gleason in Once Upon a Time (1944)

A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.A cash-strapped theater producer promotes a nine-year-old boy's dancing caterpillar.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Top cast99+

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Cary Grant

Jerry Flynn

Janet Blair

Jeannie Thompson

James Gleason

McGillicuddy aka The Moke

Ted Donaldson

Arthur 'Pinky' Thompson

William Demarest

Brandt

John Abbott

Reporter
(uncredited)

Eddie Acuff

Shipyard Worker
(uncredited)

Iris Adrian

Theatregoer
(uncredited)

Murray Alper

Soldier Leaving Theatre
(uncredited)

Kirk Alyn

Attendant
(uncredited)

George Anderson

Businessman
(uncredited)

Henry Armetta

Barber
(uncredited)

Charles Arnt

Fred Stacy - Reporter
(uncredited)

Nelroy Ashley

Businesswoman
(uncredited)

Vi Athens

Chorus Girl
(uncredited)

William Austin

Assistant Hotel Manager
(uncredited)

Art Baker

Gabriel Heatter
(uncredited)

Don Barclay

Photographer
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Rita Hayworth was originally assigned the role of Jeannie Thompson, and when she refused to do it, was placed on a nine week suspension without pay by the head of Columbia, Harry Cohn, and subsequently replaced by Janet Blair.

Quotes
Jerry Flynn: What does the public need in times like these? Escape!

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "ONCE UPON A TIME: L'OTTAVA MERAVIGLIA (1944) + LA MOGLIE DEL VESCOVO (1947) + L'ORRIBILE VERITÀ (1937)" (3 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Referenced in Being Ian: Once a Pawn a Time (2005)

Soundtracks
Yes Sir, That's My Baby
(uncredited)
Music by Walter Donaldson
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Played often throughout the film

User reviews34

Review

Featured review

8/10

I need to see this "little move" again to laugh and cry a little

It's been years since some TV showing, I was possibly a teen. I was utterly charmed and absorbed by the story and Cary Grant's persona helped make the story; wishing along with him for it to be a 'fairy tale' that would come true.

They could not produce a worthy remake now. This is truly a movie from a "lost America."