Annie Was a Wonder

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The story of Annie Swenson, who worked as a housekeeper in John Nesbitt's home when he was growing up. Annie was one of thousands of Scandinavian immigrant girls who came to America in the e... Read allThe story of Annie Swenson, who worked as a housekeeper in John Nesbitt's home when he was growing up. Annie was one of thousands of Scandinavian immigrant girls who came to America in the early 20th century in search of a better life.The story of Annie Swenson, who worked as a housekeeper in John Nesbitt's home when he was growing up. Annie was one of thousands of Scandinavian immigrant girls who came to America in the early 20th century in search of a better life.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

270

YOUR RATING

11User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total

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Top cast6

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Kathleen Freeman

Annie Swenson

Howard Negley

Mr. Nesbitt
(as Howard J. Negley)

Ruth Lee

Mrs. Nesbitt

Sven Hugo Borg

Gus
(as Hugo-Sven Borg)

John Nesbitt

Narrator
(voice)

Charles Bates

Younger Son
(uncredited)

Director
- Edward L. Cahn
Writer
- John Nesbitt
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Best Short Film Oscar Nominated.

Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator: We take this story from a time now gone from the American passing parade forever, the day of the hired girl. Before the First World War, 45,000 lonely immigrant girls arrived each year. Their wages were fifteen dollars a month. They worked 84 hours a week, 14 hours a day. Whatever their names, Bridgette or Herta or Mary or Helga, they were, in a way, the last wave of pioneers seeking a new world. Our first one was Annie Swenson, from Vallborg, Sweden. We'd never had a servant before. Annie was hired only because mother was expecting a new baby.

Connections
Followed by Clues to Adventure (1949)

Soundtracks
Symphony No.5 in E Minor, Op.64
(1888)
Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Excerpts from the second movement played during the opening credits

User reviews11

Review

Featured review

6/10

Annie Was A Wonder.

One of the many one reel films that Turner Classic Movies is prone to show in between full-length films, ANNIE WAS A WONDER is one of the many shorts narrated by John Nesbitt featuring the film debut of Kathleen Freeman, best known for her much later movie and TV career even though she acted all throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. She plays Swedish immigrant Annie Svenson who comes to the US and works a maid for an affluent family, and slowly forges a life of her own while retaining her own identity as a person. This is a simple production which manages to convey a cute clash of a foreign culture with Americana with essentially apt performances.