Daddy Long Legs

1955 2h 6m EN

😐

6.4

MID

⭐

6.7

IMDB

★6.4TMDB · 97★6.7IMDB · 4,369

Romance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Fred Astaire
Jervis Pendleton III
Leslie Caron
Julie Andre
Terry Moore
Linda Pendleton
Thelma Ritter
Alicia Pritchard
Fred Clark
Griggs
Charlotte Austin
Sally McBride
Larry Keating
Alexander Williamson
Kathryn Givney
Gertrude Pendleton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jean Negulesco
Writers: Phoebe Ephron, Henry Ephron
Languages: English, French
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

71 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jean Negulesco, shot by Leon Shamroy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Cyril J. Mockridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Editor William Reynolds shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron and Terry Moore carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0047969 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 97 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jean Negulesco directs. Leon Shamroy behind the camera. Cyril J. Mockridge scores. William Reynolds cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

171 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
3Directed by Jean Negulesco, shot by Leon Shamroy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Cyril J. Mockridge. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor William Reynolds shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron and Terry Moore carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0047969 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 97 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Leon Shamroy
Original score: Cyril J. Mockridge
Editing: William Reynolds
Costume design: Kay Nelson
Makeup / hair: Ben Nye
Runtime: 126 min · 2h 6m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Daddy Long Legs (1955)
IMDB rating: 6.7/10 · 4,369 votes
MPAA: Approved

Awards

Nominated for 3 Oscars. 4 nominations total

Also by

Jean Negulesco

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-11-24
★ 6/10
"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.

Production companies