Make a Wish: A weirdly sweet 1930s musical that's all about the high notes

Is it worth your time?

If you like 1930s schmaltz and child stars who sing like they’ve been inhaling helium, then yes. If you find high-pitched singing children terrifying, you should probably stay far away from this one.

It’s a movie for people who want to feel like they’re wrapped in a dusty, slightly damp wool blanket. It won't change your life, but it’s nice in a way that doesn't really exist anymore.

Bobby Breen is the star here, and he is... a lot. He’s got these perfectly curled locks and a voice that hits notes I didn't know humans were allowed to hit.

He plays Bobby, a kid at a summer camp in Maine. It’s the kind of movie camp where everyone is wearing clean white shirts and nobody seems to be getting bitten by mosquitoes.

Enter Basil Rathbone. He’s playing a composer named Selden who has writer’s block, which is movie-speak for "I need to stare at a piano and look grumpy."

Rathbone is great, even if he looks like he’s waiting for someone to get murdered so he can go back to being Sherlock Holmes. He has this very stiff, formal way of being friendly with a ten-year-old that feels very 1937.

The whole plot is basically a matchmaking scheme. Bobby wants his mom, who is a singer, to meet the fancy composer guy.

It’s a bit like Just Pals in that simple, wholesome way where problems are solved by just being a good person. Or by singing a very loud song at someone until they agree with you.

There’s a scene where they are all at the camp fire and the lighting is clearly just one big lamp off-camera. It makes everyone’s faces look like they’re glowing in the dark.

I noticed that the camp counselor characters are almost completely useless. They just sort of stand in the background while Bobby runs the show.

Donald Meek shows up too. I love that guy. He always looks like he just accidentally walked onto the set and decided to stay because there was free coffee.

He plays a character named Mr. Morey. He has this nervous energy that makes the scenes with the stoic Rathbone actually pretty funny.

The music is... well, it's very operetta-ish. If you aren't into that style, the musical numbers will feel like they go on for years.

One song happens while they are hiking. How does anyone have that much breath to sing while walking uphill? I get winded just walking to the kitchen.

The mom is played by Marion Claire. She’s fine, but she feels more like a prop for the kid’s plan than a real person with her own life.

The movie is very short, which is a blessing. It doesn't overstay its welcome, though the middle part drags when they focus too much on the "creative process" of writing a show.

It reminds me a bit of the innocence you see in The Kid Brother, though it’s not nearly as funny or clever as that one. It’s just earnest.

There is a weird moment where a bunch of kids are dancing and it feels very rehearsed. Like, too rehearsed for a bunch of boys in the woods.

I kept waiting for something bad to happen, because modern movies have ruined me. But nope, it’s just a movie about wishing and being nice.

The title is very literal. They talk about making wishes a lot. It’s almost a bit much after the fifth time someone mentions it.

Leon Errol is in this too. He does his "rubbery legs" bit which is always a treat, even if it feels like it belongs in a different movie entirely.

Actually, a lot of the comedy feels like it was pasted in from a vaudeville stage. It’s high-energy and a little bit loud.

The Maine woods look suspiciously like a soundstage in California. The trees look like they were moved there yesterday by a guy named Steve.

But the black and white cinematography has that silvery glow that makes everything look expensive, even if the plot is paper-thin.

If you’ve seen Tell Me Tonight, you’ll recognize the vibe of "music solves everything." It’s a very specific genre of 1930s optimism.

I think my favorite part was just watching Rathbone try to act like a normal guy. He’s so naturally regal that seeing him in a sweater at a camp is hilarious.

He tries to be "one of the boys" but he still talks like he’s addressing the House of Lords. It’s fantastic.

Bobby Breen’s acting is actually pretty decent for a kid star of that era. He’s not as annoying as some of them, even if the singing is an acquired taste.

He has this way of looking very intense when he’s listening to adults talk. Like he’s calculating their taxes in his head.

The ending is exactly what you think it is. No surprises here. It’s like a warm hug from a great-aunt who smells like lavender and old paper.

I’d say watch it if you’re folding laundry or if you just want something gentle on in the background. It’s hard to be mad at a movie this sincere.

Just be prepared for those high notes. Maybe keep your good glassware in the other room just in case Bobby hits a particularly sharp one.

Overall, it’s a weird little relic. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s got a lot of heart and some very strange hats.

I'm glad I watched it, but I don't think I need to see it again for at least another ten years. Or until I forget what a child soprano sounds like.