Make a Wish (1937)
“A boy, a song, and a little matchmaking magic.”
Streamed free from the Internet Archive · no signup, no cost — this film is in the public domain.
Synopsis
This musical comedy stars boy-soprano sensation Bobby Breen as Chip Winters, who at summer camp befriends Johnny Selden (Basil Rathbone), a Broadway composer struggling with writer's block. Chip plays matchmaker between Selden and his widowed mother, a singer, while the composer finds fresh inspiration. The film features a score by Oscar Straus and Hugo Riesenfeld that earned an Academy Award nomination.
Cast
About the Director
Kurt Neumann — Kurt Neumann, a versatile German-born director later known for The Fly (1958), keeps this gentle showcase light and tuneful, giving Rathbone a rare warm, romantic role away from his usual villains.
Why It’s Free: The Public-Domain Story
Public domain in the United States. Produced by Sol Lesser's Principal Productions and released through RKO, the film's copyright was not renewed at the end of its first term, so it lapsed into the public domain.
Behind the Scenes
Produced by Sol Lesser as a vehicle for young Bobby Breen, the film premiered in August 1937. Its musical score by Hugo Riesenfeld and Oscar Straus received a nomination at the 10th Academy Awards.
Did You Know?
- The film earned a 1938 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score.
- Bobby Breen was a hugely popular child singing star of the late 1930s, often compared to Deanna Durbin.
- Basil Rathbone made the film two years before he became cinema's definitive Sherlock Holmes.
Reception & Legacy
A pleasant, tuneful entry in the cycle of 1930s child-star musicals, the film is best remembered today for its Oscar-nominated score and for showing a softer side of Basil Rathbone.
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