While there's just no comparison to the magic of the original, if you don't like black and white movies, you'll do well to pick 1980's Little Lord Fauntleroy as your second choice. Ricky Shroder is just adorable, and since he's very clearly American (unlike Freddie Bartholomew) he can effectively provide the culture clash when he travels to England.
In the classic tale of a poor American boy who inherits an Earldom, Ricky and his mother, the beautiful Connie Booth, say goodbye to their friends and sail across the pond. Alec Guinness is the forbidding grandfather who refuses to speak to or see Connie, but wants to train Ricky to learn his duties. So while Connie lives in a house on the estate, Ricky lives with Alec in the main castle. He instantly takes to his grandfather, and his natural charm, innocence, and broad-mindedness makes a difference in the county. When Alec is about to evict a tenant for being late on his rent, Ricky shows more compassion by suggesting he allow the man to rest from his illness and take care of his family. Alec's performance is very good in this movie, because you're able to glean so much from his little glances. You can tell he feels old and that the new generation will run things differently, he's reliving the childhood of his deceased son, he feels the need to cater to the boy because of parenting mistakes he made in the past, and he appreciates the innocent trust and love the boy has given and doesn't want to destroy it. He turns the traditional "curmudgeon turns soft" character into something different, and it's very interesting.
Unless you're unflinchingly loyal to Freddie Bartholomew (which I totally understand), you can rent this one to see Alec Guinness's unique interpretation. Keep your eyes open, though: if you blink, you'll miss seeing Patrick Stewart for a few minutes!
In the classic tale of a poor American boy who inherits an Earldom, Ricky and his mother, the beautiful Connie Booth, say goodbye to their friends and sail across the pond. Alec Guinness is the forbidding grandfather who refuses to speak to or see Connie, but wants to train Ricky to learn his duties. So while Connie lives in a house on the estate, Ricky lives with Alec in the main castle. He instantly takes to his grandfather, and his natural charm, innocence, and broad-mindedness makes a difference in the county. When Alec is about to evict a tenant for being late on his rent, Ricky shows more compassion by suggesting he allow the man to rest from his illness and take care of his family. Alec's performance is very good in this movie, because you're able to glean so much from his little glances. You can tell he feels old and that the new generation will run things differently, he's reliving the childhood of his deceased son, he feels the need to cater to the boy because of parenting mistakes he made in the past, and he appreciates the innocent trust and love the boy has given and doesn't want to destroy it. He turns the traditional "curmudgeon turns soft" character into something different, and it's very interesting.
Unless you're unflinchingly loyal to Freddie Bartholomew (which I totally understand), you can rent this one to see Alec Guinness's unique interpretation. Keep your eyes open, though: if you blink, you'll miss seeing Patrick Stewart for a few minutes!