Children of Dreams (1931) is a weirdly sweet, messy musical

Is it worth the time?

If you like old movies that feel like a stage play caught on tape, then yes. You should probably skip it if you need fast pacing or characters that don't burst into song about fruit.

I sat down with this one because Oscar Hammerstein II wrote it. You can see his fingerprints everywhere, even if they're a bit smudgey and unpolished here.

The movie starts in an apple orchard that looks extremely like a movie set. You can almost smell the sawdust under the fake grass.

Molly (played by Margaret Schilling, though some credits say Marion Byron, it's a bit of a mess) is picking apples and meeting boys. It is all very innocent and feels like a greeting card come to life.

Then there is Tommy. Tommy is the guy she loves, and their chemistry is... well, it is fine. They look like they are posing for a photograph most of the time.

The plot kicks in when her dad, who is a bit of a drunk, loses some money. Well, it gets stolen from him while he is drunk, which is a classic 1930s trope.

To save him, Molly has to take money from these rich people who want her to go to Europe to study singing. It is the classic "I have to leave my home to save my family" move.

I found the scenes with the drunk father weirdly uncomfortable. It is played for a bit of drama but he just seems so pathetic it's hard to watch.

The movie jumps forward eighteen months, and suddenly we are at the Metropolitan Opera. The contrast is huge.

New York looks cold and stiff compared to the apple orchard. I think that was on purpose, but it might just be because the sets were bigger and harder to move around in.

There is this one scene at a reception where Tommy shows up to see his old flame. He looks so out of place in his simple clothes while everyone else is in tuxedos.

You can see the moment he realizes they don't fit anymore. It's actually a really sad shot, his face just sort of drops.

It reminded me a bit of the social divide you see in A Free Soul, which came out the same year. That feeling that once you move up, you can't really go back.

Molly eventually gets sick, which happens a lot in these old movies. If a character coughs once, you know they are going to be in bed for the next three scenes.

The doctor, Joe Thompson, takes her back to the apple orchard to help her get better. Naturally.

The lighting in the orchard scenes feels different this time. It is softer, maybe more nostalgic because Molly is dreaming of her past.

She runs into Tommy, and it is like the last two years never happened. Except she is famous and he is still... well, picking apples.

The ending is what really stuck with me though. It's so strange and specific.

The doctor tells her manager that she has lost her voice and can't sing professionally anymore. He says she can only sing lullabies.

It is such a weirdly poetic lie to tell. It basically means she is only allowed to be a mother and a wife now, not a star.

I'm not sure if the movie thinks this is a happy ending or a tragedy. I think it thinks it's happy, but it feels a bit like she's being trapped back in the orchard.

The songs aren't as catchy as the ones in Tom Sawyer from around that time. They feel a bit more like operetta, which can be a bit much if you aren't in the mood for it.

There is a lot of "thee" and "thou" energy in the lyrics. Hammerstein was still figuring out how to make people sound like real humans when they sang.

I noticed one extra in the background of the New York scene who looked incredibly bored. He was just leaning against a pillar and looking at his watch, and it made me laugh because I felt the same way during the long opera solo.

The movie is definitely a product of its time. It’s got that 1931 stiffness where nobody wants to move too far from the microphone.

But there is something sweet about it. It’s like looking at an old family album of people you don't actually know.

If you're looking for something with more bite, you might prefer The Stolen Jools. This one is strictly for the dreamers and the apple fans.

I liked it, but I don't think I'll ever need to see it again. Once was enough to get the vibe.

• The apple picking bags look way too clean.
• The doctor is the MVP for lying to the manager.
• The lullaby line is going to be stuck in my head all week.

Anyway, it's a short watch. If you find a copy, give it a look just for the weird ending. 🍎