The Devil Is a Sissy (1936)

Interesting facts

• Awards: 1 · Nominations: 0. Including: National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

The Devil Is a Sissy is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s.

Production

The film is apparently based on a screenplay called The Devil Is a Sissie, which screenwriters Rowland Brown and Frank Frenton were working on in 1935. Brown is the one credited as the main writer of the film, with the extent of Fenton's contribution unclear. Other screenwriters were responsible for the final form of the screenplay.

Publicity for the film focused on the change in directors in mid-production. Initially Rowland Brown was announced as the sole director of the film. During filming, came news reports that director W. S. Van Dyke was hired to "assist" Brown. A few days later, it was announced that Van Dyke had replaced Brown as the sole director of the film. The reasons of the replacement were not explained.

While Rowland Brown is still credited as co-director of the film in several sources, apparently only one or two scenes of the film were directed by him. According to 1936 news reports, most of the scenes that Brown had filmed were discarded and had to be reshot by W. S. Van Dyke. The official credits of the film name Van Dyke as sole director.

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