Give the public what they want, so the saying goes. And in 1925, Mary Pickford did just that. Discouraged by the unpopularity of pictures in which she acted her age, the 34-year-old actress returned to the type of role that made her a star, the adorable waif. And the picture was a hit.
Even if you can get past the fact that Pickford is twenty years too old for the part, she’s convincing as a scrappy slum girl who’s left an orphan when her cop father is killed on the job. When her brother mistakenly takes revenge on the wrong guy (whom little Annie has a crush on), she rushes to the hospital to offer herself for a life-saving transfusion. As lovable waif and Mary Pickford movies go, this one is nothing special. [*** out of 5]
Advertisement
