Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

What a Life

  • 19391939
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
93
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
125,174
9,287
Jackie Cooper, Betty Field, Hedda Hopper, John Howard, Janice Logan, and Lionel Stander in What a Life (1939)
ComedyDrama
In the first Henry Aldrich film, Henry (Jackie Cooper) is falsely accused of making trouble at school. He must clear himself.In the first Henry Aldrich film, Henry (Jackie Cooper) is falsely accused of making trouble at school. He must clear himself.In the first Henry Aldrich film, Henry (Jackie Cooper) is falsely accused of making trouble at school. He must clear himself.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
93
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
125,174
9,287
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Theodore Reed
    • Writers
      • Charles Brackett(screenplay)
      • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
      • Clifford Goldsmith(based on the play by)
    • Stars
      • Jackie Cooper
      • Betty Field
      • John Howard
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Theodore Reed
    • Writers
      • Charles Brackett(screenplay)
      • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
      • Clifford Goldsmith(based on the play by)
    • Stars
      • Jackie Cooper
      • Betty Field
      • John Howard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

    Jackie Cooper and Betty Field in What a Life (1939)
    Jackie Cooper and Betty Field in What a Life (1939)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jackie Cooper
    Jackie Cooper
    • Henry Aldrich
    Betty Field
    Betty Field
    • Barbara Pearson
    John Howard
    John Howard
    • Mr. Nelson
    Janice Logan
    Janice Logan
    • Miss Shea
    Vaughan Glaser
    • J.C. Bradley
    Lionel Stander
    Lionel Stander
    • Ferguson
    Hedda Hopper
    Hedda Hopper
    • Mrs. Aldrich
    James Corner
    James Corner
    • George Bigelow
    Dorothy Stickney
    Dorothy Stickney
    • Miss Wheeler
    Kathleen Lockhart
    Kathleen Lockhart
    • Miss Pike
    Lucien Littlefield
    Lucien Littlefield
    • Mr. Patterson
    Sidney Miller
    Sidney Miller
    • Pinkie Peters
    Andrew Tombes
    Andrew Tombes
    • Professor Abernathy
    George Guhl
    George Guhl
    • Janitor
    Arthur Aylesworth
    Arthur Aylesworth
    • MacGowan
    Wilda Bennett
    • Miss Doolittle
    Benny Bartlett
    Benny Bartlett
    • 'Butch' Williams
    Kay Stewart
    Kay Stewart
    • Marjorie (Drum Majorette)
    • Director
      • Theodore Reed
    • Writers
      • Charles Brackett(screenplay)
      • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
      • Clifford Goldsmith(based on the play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Emperor Waltz
    6.1
    The Emperor Waltz
    Midnight
    7.9
    Midnight
    That Certain Age
    6.6
    That Certain Age
    The Major and the Minor
    7.4
    The Major and the Minor
    A Foreign Affair
    7.3
    A Foreign Affair
    Champagne Waltz
    6.4
    Champagne Waltz
    Arise, My Love
    6.9
    Arise, My Love
    Bad Seed
    6.1
    Bad Seed
    Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
    7.2
    Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
    French Without Tears
    7.0
    French Without Tears
    The Great Moment
    6.2
    The Great Moment
    Tales of Manhattan
    7.3
    Tales of Manhattan

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Debut of actresses Betty Field and Sheila Ryan.
    • Connections
      Followed by Life with Henry (1940)

    User reviews2

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Pleasant High School series opener
    Based on a successful play, this movie launched a somewhat bland series. What's really surprising is that the screenplay was written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder who also wrote the script for "Ninotchka" and "Midnight" that same year. There isn't any of the typical Wilder/Brackett bite in the script, but they may have been saddled with constraints of the original. Aside from Jackie Cooper who was a real teen at the time, most of the other students were considerably older. The rest of the cast is competent, including Hedda Hopper as Henry's mother. John Howard provides a pleasant counterpoint to the stuffy teachers on Central High's staff. Henry's father, who is often referred to in the dialog, never appears.
    helpful•4
    0
    • Solo-12
    • Jun 7, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 6, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Vida Começa aos 14
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Jackie Cooper, Betty Field, Hedda Hopper, John Howard, Janice Logan, and Lionel Stander in What a Life (1939)
    Top Gap
    By what name was What a Life (1939) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Superhero Movies and Series
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the gallery
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.