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Daddy Long Legs

Wealthy American, Jervis Pendleton has a chance encounter at a French orphanage with a cheerful 18-year-old resident, and anonymously pays for her education at a New England college. She writes letters to her mysterious benefactor regularly, but he never writes back. Several years later, he visits her at school, while still concealing his identity, and—despite their large age difference—they soon fall in love.

Top Cast

  • Fred Astaire

    Fred Astaire

    Jervis Pendleton III

  • Leslie Caron

    Leslie Caron

    Julie Andre

  • Terry Moore

    Terry Moore

    Linda Pendleton

  • Thelma Ritter

    Thelma Ritter

    Alicia Pritchard

  • Fred Clark

    Fred Clark

    Griggs

  • Charlotte Austin

    Charlotte Austin

    Sally McBride

  • Larry Keating

    Larry Keating

    Alexander Williamson

  • Kathryn Givney

    Kathryn Givney

    Gertrude Pendleton

  • Kelly Brown

    Kelly Brown

    Jimmy McBride

Overview

Wealthy American, Jervis Pendleton has a chance encounter at a French orphanage with a cheerful 18-year-old resident, and anonymously pays for her education at a New England college. She writes letters to her mysterious benefactor regularly, but he never writes back. Several years later, he visits her at school, while still concealing his identity, and—despite their large age difference—they soon fall in love.

Rating

6.4 / 10
94 Reviews
1 Popular

1 Reviews

  • CinemaSerf
    CinemaSerf
    6 Nov 24, 2023

    "Jervis" (Fred Astaire) comes from a distinguished line of American millionaires who is travelling through France one day with his savvy factotum "Griggs" (Fred Clark) when he alights on the orphaned "Julie" (the hugely charming Leslie Caron) who is teaching young kids with a contagious enthusiasm that encourages the wealthy man to facilitate her education at one of the colleges he just about owns in New England. She is excited about the prospect, but in best "Great Expectations" tradition, is unaware of the identity of her benefactor. She's grateful though, and regularly writes to him - letters that "Griggs" files rather than shares. This all becomes even more complicated when the girl becomes frustrated at the lack of responses and when two meet and begin to fall in love. "Something's Gotta Give" is the standard featured here, but there are plenty of other lively and perfectly choreographed numbers from two stars who gel well on screen together. Clark steals the show for me, his curmudgeonly but wily role well complemented by the occasional appearance of Thelma Ritter's "Alicia" and though it is certainly far too slow to get going - and is generally too long as well - the dynamic works well enough to keep a smile on your face for much of this gently simmering love story that has something of the "Cinderella" story to it.

Trailers & Clips

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