The Great Rupert is a 1950 comedy family film starring Jimmy Durante, Tom Drake and Terry Moore, produced by George Pal, and directed by Irving Pichel. It is based on a story, written by Ted Allan, which has also been published as a children's book under the title "Willie the Squowse".
The story revolves around a little animated squirrel who, with much charm, accidentally helps two economically distressed families overcome their obstacles.
Plot:
Rosalinda Amendola, the daughter of happy but impoverished former acrobats is in love with the boy next door, aspiring composer Pete Dingle. Though Pete's parents are wealthy, his miserly father Frank insists on hiding his money from his investments in the wall of their family home.
The situation changes when Joe Mahoney, a vaudeville performer who has fallen on hard times, has to leave his best friend and stage companion, Rupert a dancing squirrel, in Frank and Rosalinda's town where he will have to fend for himself with the other squirrels and live in a tree. Unsatisfied with tree life, Rupert gains access to the Dingle home and unbeknownst to Frank, has his bed in Frank's hidden cache of money. Rupert decides to clear room in his domicile by throwing Frank's money through a hole so that it floats down into the Amendola household who think the money has come from Heaven in answer to Mrs. Amendola's prayers.
Attracted by Louie Amendola not only paying his debts, but helping all the needy businesses of the town, the FBI, IRS and local police converge on the House of Amendola to discover the source of the family's wealth.
Cast:
Jimmy Durante as Mr. Louie Amendola
Terry Moore as Rosalinda Amendola
Tom Drake as Peter 'Pete' Dingle
Frank Orth as Mr. Frank Dingle
Sara Haden as Mrs. Katie Dingle
Queenie Smith as Mrs. Amendola
Chick Chandler as Phil Davis
Jimmy Conlin as Joe Mahoney
Rupert, an animated squirrel
Hugh Sanders as Mulligan
Don Beddoe as Mr. Haggerty
Candy Candido as Molineri - Florist
Clancy Cooper as Police Lt. Saunders
Harold Goodwin as Callahan - F.B.I. Man
Frank Cady as Mr. Taney - Tax Investigator
Irving Pichel as Puzzled Pedestrian (uncredited)
Production:
In the 1940s George Pal made his reputation in Hollywood by producing animated shorts. As costs rose he found it unprofitable so moved into commercials for a few years while planning on going into feature production. In 1949 he convinced the independent Eagle-Lion Films to co-finance his own two-picture deal, with him putting up half of the money. Part of the finance came from Peter Rathvorn and Floyd Odlum, who used to run RKO. The movies would be The Great Rupert and Destination Moon
The film was originally known as Money, Money, Money and was based on a story by Ted Allen purchased by George Pal in June 1948. It was adapted by Laszlo Vadnay. The title changed to Rupert II. Filming started at General Service Studio on 20 June 1949.
Public domain note:
This film is in the public domain.
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