CLASSIC FILM CHOICE

SUMMER HOLIDAY

(1948) PG ● Sunday, 1.50pm, BBC2 ★★★ Born in 1920, Mickey Rooney made his screen debut at the age of six, and would debut his Mickey Mcguire character in the first of 78 short films in 1927. He would go on to enormous success, often paired with his friend, Judy Garland. This musical, co-starring Gloria Dehaven (above), marked a difficult period in Rooney’s career. He had returned from two years’ service entertaining troops in the Second World War, and was looking to transition to adult roles. This musical adaptation of the play Ah, Wilderness! didn’t do well at the box office, and while it’s considered a minor classic now, it heralded the end of Rooney’s time as the lead. Rather than give up, the resilient performer would find a new niche in character roles, and continued working until shortly before his death in 2014, aged 93.