Watching The Little Fugitive was an eye-opener for me. I had never heard of Morris Engel, the New York-born director who documented the landing of the Allies in Normandy. Not only is the movie a pleasure to watch but it is reminiscent of the the post-WWII realist school of film. Vittorio de Sica directed movies that have the a similar "look and feel" to them, although his make a social statement. These are well-known to casual movie buffs like me; for example, The Bicycle Thief and Umberto D. Of course, this one is set in Brooklyn and Coney Island and the actors are American, not Italian.
Other than that, all I can say is that this is a classic. It does not pretend to be anything more than a story of two brothers that takes place in the space of a single day. Not only is there a beautiful story, there is also a magical setting that has been captured on film for all time.
Almost everyone will feel the film as it pulls at their heartstrings. It is set in a time long past; yet people like me who grew up in the fifties can relate to it. The eyes of the camera moving around Coney Island captures people in a time and place that make this film very special.
It is a tribute to TCM that it brings such films to the screen when the latest pop-culture buzz dictates what TV viewers see. It is gratifying to know that this film has been added to the national film registry in the USA, which is dedicated to the preservation of great movies.