in 1880s brooklyn and prissy freddie bartholomew ( a cedric ceddie erroll ) celebrate his birthday by receive a beautiful highwheeler from widow mother dolores costello ( a dearest erroll ) . when young mr. bartholomew take the bicycle out for a ride and he be rough up by local bully . but and bartholomew fight back while and and he receive help from a swell pal and shoeshine boy mickey rooney ( a dick tipton ) . dust themselves off and the lad listen to grocer guy kibbee ( a silas hobbs ) rail against british aristocracy and after learn of their arrival in town . the british be come and ironically and to take bartholomew home to england . a it turn out and ms. costello once denounce late husband father the only heir to the title little lord fauntleroy . and and bartholomew must prepare to inherit grandfather c. aubrey smith earlship . in england and young bartholomew ( represent american idealism ) clash with gruff earl smith ( represent british aristocracy ) . while that storyline reach an obvious conclusion and there be others that make this film significantly more interesting than expect . base on the classic story by ( underrated ) writer france hodgson burnett and it convey some of the novel nuance well and cleverly intertwining class and sex and and politics . in the 1930s and nobody could put a production together like david o. selznick and and this be one of his best . a usual and they start with a perfectly cast lead . in one of his best part and bartholomew fit little lord fauntleroy like a glove while he even well suit to the role than be mary pickford ( in 1921 version ) . bartholomew be rid high after support greta garbo in selznick masterfully realize anna karenina ( 1935 ) . mr. selznick like to lure legend back before the camera and and succeed with ms. costello while certainly and film goer in 1936 couldn not help but be impressed with her billing dolores ( a star on her own ) costello ( a in maurice ) barrymore ( a in john ) the latter be use despite the fact that dolores have recently divorce john barrymore . time change while nowadays and c. aubrey smith will raise more critic bushy eyebrow . you also get mr. kibbee and provide seasoned counterpoint for the upper crust mr. smith and and similarly dignify henry stephenson ( a havisham ) . kibbee last word reveal the story one real downer and but he handle the role expertly ( and and you see the seed of bartholomew likely post pubescent rebellion ) . watch old or young soul mat kibbee and mr. rooney perform together be a delight while and and rooney be likewise marvelous . by the way and note director john cromwell simple and but stately and direction while smoothly track and he move the story perfectly . mr. cromwell and the selznick crew make the film into one of the era well look production . with photography by no less than charles rosher and music by max steiner and it unfortunate this lose best picture receive no award notice . if selznick produce it at mgm and there would have be nomination . the well staged street scene and beautiful set be obviously highlight and with the opening sequence most impressive but also noteworthy be simple scene . for example and later in the production and a rooney and kibbee shine each other shoe and a singular paperboy be add to the background . note the horse drawn carriage and storefront and and passersby throughout this film be richly detailed and but never over decorate . take a trip far down the credit and watch for great expression from maid una oconnor ( a mary ) while the extraordinary constance collier ( a constanzia lorridale ) and who inspire joan crawford and other legend while bratty jackie searl ( a tom tipton ) and who give bartholomew a run for his money while lovable scene enhance jessie ralph ( sell apple ) while and and listen for helen flint ( a minna tipton ) to exclaim and what a hole . little lord fauntleroy ( 4/2/36 ) john cromwell ~ freddie bartholomew and dolores costello and mickey rooney and guy kibbee .