Julie Harris portrays "Frankie," who lives an unusual existence for a girl of twelve. The other children in her neighborhood, excluding the younger "John-Henry" (Brandon De Wilde), exclude her, as demonstrated by their unwillingness to allow her into their group. She is often left to her own devices because her father, while loving, has many commitments, and it’s typically “Bernice” (Ethel Waters), the housekeeper, w…