Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "The Littlest Diplomat" is an American 19-minute live action short film from 1937, so this one had its 80th anniversary last year. It was directed and co-written by Bobby Connolly, a man who has several Oscar nominations, but this movie we have here is probably neither his most or least known. There are two very positive aspects here, the first is the use of Technicolor which really makes this a more beautiful look and should not be taken for granted for a film from WWII, especially a non-cartoon. The second is the music that was fun to listen at. Sadly these two are not enough to make me ignore the weak and forgettable aspects. The story is pretty gooey and honestly it is not realistic at all that this girl really ends up in the hand of this Indian leader. It's a story about a little girl, daughter of an important military man, and how her presence solves a diplomatic conflict without any major problems. Nah, it just doesn't feel authentic I must say sadly. And honestly the acting was not exactly top-notch. Sybil Jason is no Shirley Temple that much is safe, but actually she is far more below Temple in terms of talent than I would have hoped. Overall, the negative outweighs the positive and I give this movie a thumbs-down. My suggestion is you watch something else instead.

MartinHafer In the tradition of "Gunga Din", "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" and a bazillion other Hollywood productions of the 1930s, this one starts with the presupposition that the British colonial empire is the dog-gone bestest thing in the world. Given you can accept this, this is a wonderful little film. If you can't, try to ignore the inherent injustice of this system and watch the film anyway as it's quite watchable--much of due to its almost terminally cute star, Sybil Jason.The film begins in what is today Pakistan. The local British Colonel is a rather strict guy who is having problems with the locals who, for some inexplicable reason, don't want to be subjugated peoples of the Empire. A diplomat encourages the Colonel to use a bit of tact and diplomacy--and the Colonel informs him that the British heel is the only diplomacy he needs--an obviously prophetic attitude! Soon, the Colonel's granddaughter arrives (Sybil Jason) and she's the gosh-darnedest cutest kid in the world. She immediately captures the hearts of the soldiers and Colonel. But the Colonel's blustering ways eventually drive her away--into the arms of his rival, the Khan. However, the child's amazing charm melts the Khan's heart and in the end they all get together for a little sing-a-long and cookies.The story is a bit ridiculous but very well filmed (in Technicolor) and is quite charming. In many ways, it's more like a movie in look and scope than a short--even though it's only about 19 minutes long. Worth seeing if you have the DVD for "The Life of Émile Zola"--on which it is a special feature.

Neil Doyle SYBIL JASON was a very capable child actress who by this time was being promoted by Warner Bros. as their own Shirley Temple. A vehicle like this (a full-length version) had already served as the type of story you'd expect to find Temple starring in.Had the studio found better properties for Jason, the idea to promote her as another Temple might have worked.It's a Wee Willie Winkie sort of thing with Sybil visiting her grandfather at a garrison where the gruff man is not very popular with the regiment. In the course of twenty minutes, she melts his heart and forges diplomacy between him and his sworn enemy.The sets look like leftovers from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" except that they're in Technicolor for this one. Sybil is charming but a bit mechanical in her delivery of the hokey lines.The predictable plot has her escaping from the fort when her grandfather is too harsh with her and kidnapped by an Indian tribe. Their leaders has a heart to heart talk with her that convinces him to return her safely to the fort.All that's missing is a smiling close-up of Sybil, a la Temple--everything else is a cookie cutter mini-version of a Temple vehicle.

boblipton Released the same year as John Ford's WEE WILLIE WINKIE, in which Shirley Temple saves the British Raj, this Vitaphone short starring Sybil Jason is played much more for comedy, with a musical interlude or two. Miss Jason is rather stagy in her line readings and seems far more forcedly cute than Miss Temple's ebullient demeanor.The real star of this short is, neither Sybil Jason, nor Lumsdale Hare, but the beautiful Technicolor photography, courtesy of Ray Rennahan. He was a Technicolor specialist whose credits include the color sequences of the silent BEN HUR, two Oscars and two terms as president of the American Society of Cinematographers. This movie is more notable as a treat for lovers of the Technicolor process than its story or acting.