Reviews (13)

A "Gem" Of A Movie!
When you first start watching this movie, you think the director has a budget of $10, but what you discover is a pioneer of the indendent film.This little gem is a whisical tale of 7 year old Joey Norton, who's dooped by friends into thinking he's shot and killed his older brother, Richie. Upon believing this, Joey exiles himself to Coney Island, with Richie in hot pursuit. The film does a wonderful job of catching the innocence of the 50's.If you can get them away from the computer, video games and MTV, I truly believe that even kids today would enjoy this little piece of "Americana"

A Genuine Time Capsule
I am of an age with the "Joey" portrayed in this movie and used to hang around in Coney Island of the era, albeit a little later (1957 vs. 1953).

Coney Island in the '50s was a faded resort. Its streets and back alleys contained the ghosts and survivals of a more vibrant era. What makes this movie remarkable is the extent to which it captures not only the appearance of the area but the way it FELT for a young kid encountering its sights and people. I cannot find a single wrong note or unfamiliar or contrieved situation, at least so far as Coney itself is concerned.

Unfortunately, the plot is so thin that it might have been better to dispense with it altogether, though I suppose it was necessary, especially in the '50s, to explain why an eight-year-old was wandering unescorted through a sometimes dangerous area.

I won't quibble about the plot too much. I am grateful that, just like some of the silly old silent comedies that gave us glimpses of Luna Park and other disappeared pieces of history, future generations get a chance to "walk" through another era with a minimum of affectation or interpretation.

I was moved not to give five stars as I believe the extra star would only have been expressing my nostalgia. For the film alone I might have been inclined to give it three, but more knowledgeable people than I attest that this was a groundbreaking film, so "four" seems just about right.

Perfect...Absolutely Perfect.
Though this film is certainly not for all tastes, I have to say that it's definitely one of my all time favorites. I strongly recall watching it on PBS late at night as a child, and was overjoyed to rediscover it as an adult. It doesn't hurt at all, either, that I'm a HUGE fan of Coney Island history, and that this film is chock-full of 1953 footage of the park, back in the good ol' days.

The plot is incredibly simple - a young boy is tricked by his older brother and latter's unkind friends, into believing that he's committed murder. The boy runs off to Coney Island to take it on the lam, and, while there, learns a whole lot about the world. From finding out about the glory of 5-cent deposits, to (finally) riding a real pony, we see what's important in his little life, and see how he ekes out a survival for himself during his day and night away from home.

There is hardly any dialogue once he's in the park, and it's refreshing, really - almost a sensory experience through the eyes of a little boy. We are treated to a more innocent time - with very little effort, one can smell the odors of the boardwalk, taste the sweetness of a watermelon slice, and feel the sand beneath the feet. I haven't seen a film quite like this - it's truly magical.

For the Coney Island enthusiasts out there, the footage from the park is fantastic. It stands as a wonderful record of the past - the parachute jump, batting cages, food stands, a marvelous carousel, souvenir booths...it's all here, and it's incredible. If you haven't seen this film, you're missing out, and then some.

Overall, I can admit that this film isn't for all folks - it's slow-moving, quiet, and can drag along a bit - if you don't surrender to it, and take it at it's own pace. Once you've done so, however, you'll see how great a film it really is.

THIS WAS MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MOVIE
In 1953 I started school at PS 188 on Neptune Avenue in Coney Island. Each year, The Little Fugitive would be shown in the auditorium ...and every year I loved it as much as I had the year before ... I never forgot the movie and whenever anyone would ask my favorite film, even as an adult I would always mention it ... Several years ago when visiting NYC with my own children, after spending a day in Coney Island, eating at Nathans and going on the Cyclone, we wandered into a Manhatten video store and I was astounded to see it on a shelf. We immediately rented it and it was as wonderful in 1998 as it had been in the 1950s. My children loved it and continue to mention scenes from it today in 2003! A wonderfully charming film that goes right to the heart of childhood.

The premier examination of youth's existentialism
Check out all the other reviews for summaries and descriptions of this film. One thing lacking from every article I've ever read about this movie is the fact that it's an existentialist masterpiece. Fans of Sartre's *Nausea,* Camus's *The Stranger,* and Kafka's *The Trial* will find much territory here to mine. The existentialism of childhood has never been better represented. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a non-romantic romantic film; truth in non-cynical orbit
One of my all time favorite flicks is "Little Fugitive" which was a major inspiration on the French New Wave. "Lovers and Lollipops" is from the same filmmakers. It is not as immediately novel as "Little Fugitive" but just as satisfying overall.

"Lovers and Lollipops" is about the burgeouning romance between a beautiful widow (Ann) and an old friend (Larry) and the angle from which Anne's 8 year old daughter Peggy sees this significant event. Peggy becomes a force to be reckoned with, sometimes charming and sometimes annoying the hell out of Larry, who knows he has to win over the daughter's heart as well as the mother's. This might seem cliche, but the way it is handled by Engel and Orkin, is anything but, even to this day.

The semi-documentary style is fabulous and very much influenced by Italian Neo-Realism. Everything was shot on location, on the streets, guerrila style. The outlook of Engel and Orkin, however, is very far from Rossellini's or DeSica's. It is non-cynical and quintessentially 'American.' Yet for all that it is not fake and romantic in a harmful way. It is simply the other side of the coin without any mawkish embellishments and nonsense.

Engel and Orkin's unique wit, authentic feel for the characters and the fact that they managed to capture what it was like to live in New York City at this, quite innocent period in American history, all add up to make "Lovers and Lollipops," a unique experience. In fact, there are shots and scenes in this movie that are some of the most poetic I've ever seen anywhere. The long shot at the museum, for example, of Larry, Ann and the security guard trying to help Peggy get her boat out of the water, where the maxim 'comedy is life in long shot' is demonstrated so effectively; or the scene where Peggy is mouthing all the words Larry is reading her, and Larry realizing this, speeds up his reading, making her laugh uncontrollably, unable to keep up. The romance between Ann and Larry, though on the surface a perfect match, is handled with maximum care and made authentic at every turn. The seeds of what might become its undoing are made apparent at every stage, especially with regards to Peggy, who almost succeeds in breaking it up.

Overall, a definite MUST SEE, especially for anyone interested in authenticity in 1950s American films, something you will not find in 99.9% of period Hollywood product. ... Read more