Margaret O'Brien sings, dances and keeps the faith in this heartwarming musical drama co-starring Robert Preston, Danny Thomas and George Murphy.Margaret O'Brien sings, dances and keeps the faith in this heartwarming musical drama co-starring Robert Preston, Danny Thomas and George Murphy.Margaret O'Brien sings, dances and keeps the faith in this heartwarming musical drama co-starring Robert Preston, Danny Thomas and George Murphy.
- Lewis Keller
- (as Butch Jenkins)
- Boy
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Fighter
- (uncredited)
- Mike
- (uncredited)
- Rabbi
- (uncredited)
- Page Cavanaugh
- (uncredited)
- Drunk Barfly
- (uncredited)
- The Florist
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMarni Nixon, famed for doing similar voicing duties on The King and I (1956) and West Side Story (1961), sings for Margaret O'Brien in the synagogue choir scenes.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Midge: [voice over] Back in nineteen thirty-seven, our street was pretty much like it is today. One end was the settlement house where you could find the Reverend Phillip Andrews almost any time of the day or night. If you ever needed a policeman, there'd be Patrick O'Donnell coming around the corner. He was a good friend to all the kids in the neighborhood, and to the grown-ups too. Sometimes while he was walking his beat, he'd stop and listen to the music coming from the temple down at the other end of the street. It would be the cantor singing and the boys choir.
[Cantor David Feldman and the boys choir are seen performing Kol Nidre in the temple]
Midge: [voice over] One Sabbath evening after service, Cantor Feldman was on his way home.
Passerby: Good evening, Cantor Feldman.
Cantor David Irwin Feldman: Oh, good evening.
Midge: [voice over] As he started up his front steps, he heard a funny little noise.
Cantor David Irwin Feldman: [looking around] Here kitty. Here...
Midge: [in Cantor Feldman spotting a newspaper covered basket, and removing the newspapers to find a baby crying inside] It was me.
- Crazy creditsThe following general acknowledgment is listed following the opening credits: "This picture is dedicated to people who like people."
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Blue Lamp (1950)
- SoundtracksGod Bless America
Written by Irving Berlin
Performed by Marles Noie (uncredited), Margaret O'Brien (uncredited), Robert Preston (uncredited), Danny Thomas (uncredited), George Murphy (uncredited), Betty Garrett (uncredited), Karin Booth (uncredited), Edward Arnold (uncredited) and Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins (uncredited)
On his way home Cantor Danny Thomas finds an abandoned baby on the basement steps of his home. As it turns out Reverend Robert Preston and policeman George Murphy are on the scene as well and they're all friends. Thomas lives with his mother Lotte Lehmann. In one fell swoop with the blessing of Judge Edward Arnold the baby who grows up to be Margaret O'Brien gets three fathers and a grandmother.
But Judge Arnold made an interesting provision in deciding custody. Which ever of the men marries first there's a provision that he and his wife get sole custody. So Margaret who is now about 11 becomes the object of a legal battle when George Murphy decides to marry lounge singer Betty Garrett. Complicating things more is Preston and Thomas are both interested in Margaret's teacher Karin Booth.
Big City holds up well as a nice family film. I'm still not sure what the fuss was, despite the fact she sings in bars Garrett was a perfectly nice person. Still Arnold must have wished he could get some advice from King Solomon.
Big City is also a fine opportunity to see concert singer Lotte Lehman in one of her few film appearances. It's a good film for a family afternoon viewing.
- bkoganbing
- Jun 11, 2014
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Brothers of the East Side
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,725,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 43 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1