Five Little Peppers and How They Grew


Five Little Peppers and How They Grew is a 1939 American black-and-white children's comedy drama film, directed by Charles Barton, produced by Jack Fier and based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Sidney. Starring Edith Fellows, Charles Peck, Tommy Bond, Jimmy Leake and Dorothy Anne Seese, it is the first of four Five Little Peppers films.

Plot

Mrs. Pepper and her 5 children Polly, Ben, Joey, Davie and Phronsie are a poor but happy family. Mrs. Pepper's husband, John Pepper died when the copper mine he half owned caved in on him. Teenage Polly inherited his share of the mine, which her father wished her to keep at least until she came of age, despite him never finding copper in it. Polly looks after the other Pepper children while Mrs. Pepper is at work. By happenchance, Polly and Joey meet rich but lonely teenager Jasper King, who befriends the Pepper children. Jasper lives with his wealthy grandfather, J.H. King, who ignores Jasper as he is obsessed with making money to the exclusion of all else. J.H. has no interest in Jasper befriending the Peppers until he learns who they are as J.H. has bought the other half of the mine and wants Polly's half as cheaply as possible to start more exploration. Hiding his true intentions, J.H. starts spending time with the Peppers, plying them with gifts. But, due to an outbreak of measles, Jasper and J.H spend more time with the Peppers than they expected and the Pepper children grow to love J.H. and Jasper—but will that change when they discover J.H.'s secret plans?

Cast