Big City (1948 film)

Big City
Big City
	Film poster
Directed by	Norman Taurog
Screenplay by	Anne Morrison Chapin; Whitfield Cook; Aben Kandel (additional dialogue); Nanette Kutner (adaptation)
Story by	Miklos Laszlo
Produced by	Joe Pasternak
Starring	Margaret O'Brien; Robert Preston ; Danny Thomas; George Murphy; Betty Garrett; Edward Arnold
Cinematography	Robert Surtees
Edited by	Gene Ruggiero
Music by	Lothar Perl; Albert Sendrey; George Stoll
Production; company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Loew's Inc.
Release date	March 25, 1948;
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,725,000
Box office	$1,399,000

Big City is a 1948 American drama film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Margaret O'Brien, Robert Preston and Danny Thomas.

Plot

An abandoned infant is discovered in New York City by a cantor, David Feldman, and a minister, Rev. Phillip Andrews, who consult police officer Pat O'Donnell about what to do. Taking in the baby girl and naming her Midge, the three unmarried men seek legal custody in the courtroom of Judge Martin O. Abercrombie, who is agreeable on one condition—the first man to marry will become sole legal guardian of the girl.

At school after she's a few years older, Midge is teased by others for her unusual family situation. Even her teacher, Florence Barrett, does not approve of a child being raised without a mother. To alleviate her concerns, the men invite Florence to an evening at their home, where even Midge becomes happier about the way she is being brought up.

David falls in love with Florence and hopes to propose marriage. Pat, who has been seeing the extroverted singer "Shoo Shoo" Grady, elopes with her. The two clergymen are unsure that Shoo Shoo would be a proper parent for their child. It is left up to the judge, who gives careful consideration to everyone's concerns, then solves the problem by withdrawing his condition about marriage, permitting all three men to share fatherly responsibilities to Midge equally.

Cast

Margaret O'Brien as Midge
Robert Preston as Rev. Andrews
Danny Thomas as Cantor Feldman
George Murphy as Pat O'Donnell
Karin Booth as Florence Bartlett
Edward Arnold as Judge Abercrombie
Butch Jenkins as Lewis Keller
Betty Garrett as "Shoo Shoo" Grady
Lotte Lehmann as Mama Feldman
Stanley Blystone as Mike (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin as Barfly (uncredited)
Frank Mayo as Lawyer (uncredited)

Reception

According to MGM records the movie was not a hit, earning $910,000 in the US and Canada and $489,000 elsewhere, making a loss to the studio of $850,000.^[1]