Curly Top (1935)

Edward: "Just suppose the figure of that lovely child should suddenly come to life. Suppose it smiled at you and waved its hand. What would you do?
Genevieve: "I'd call a doctor!"

Order: 8

Year: 1935

Rated: G

Runtime: 1 hour, 14 minutes

Starring

Shirley Temple as Elizabeth Blair a.k.a. "Curly Top"

John Boles as Edward Morgan

Rochelle Hudson as Mary Blair

Esther Dale as Aunt Genevieve Graham

Plot: The wealthy chairman of the board of trustees of an orphanage adopts a charming young girl and her older sister under an alias.

Comments

I really don't have much to say about Curly Top. Maybe it's because it's everything you'd ever want or need in a Shirley film. Or maybe it's because it's 2 in the morning and I'm feeling uninspired to write. Don't get me wrong, I like Curly Top. It's one of the best in the canon and it certainly brightened my mood after the joyless journey that was Our Little Girl.

So far in the canon, Curly Top has had the most musical numbers. I was starting to think I was crazy after I made the claim about the Shirley movies . This is the movie with the other signature Shirley song, "Animal Crackers in My Soup" which little "Curly" sings to her fellow orphans at dinner. Of course, this is also the day when the board of trustees, a group of crusty investors, save for multi-millionaire bachelor Edward Morgan, arrive for their monthly inspection. The trustees are appalled at the lack of discipline. But Mr. Morgan is charmed by little Curly and wishes to adopt her. Curly agrees, but her older sister, Mary denies Mr. Morgan. Technically, Mary has custody of Curly, but is too poor to move out of the orphanage so she works there as a maid. Basically, they're a package deal: Curly can't be adopted unless Mary comes along.

After a night of contemplation, Edward Morgan decides that Mary can come along, but then he creates a false identity, one Mr. Hiram Jones, so the Blair sisters will be unaware that it is he who is providing the better life for them. Why does he do this, you ask? Well, during a schmaltzy and sexually tense scene between Edward and Mary, he explains that Mr. Jones has been looking for someone to love him in spite of his millions of dollars.

Curly Top isn't heavy in conflict. In fact, as soon as Curly is adopted, there is no conflict. Most of the film is made up of scenes showing Curly's adjustment to the sweet life. Oh, and then there's the romance between Mary and Edward that is eventually consummated after is his confession that there is no Hiram Jones. Curly Top is truly a feel good film, and one that isn't bogged down by a lot of emotional drama. Songs, tap dancing, and Shirley's charisma...there isn't much more to ask for.

Featured Songs

• "Animals Crackers in My Soup" - Shirley Temple
• "It's All So New to Me" - John Boles
• "The Simple Things in Life" - Rochelle Hudson
• "When I Grow Up" - Shirley Temple (Later reprised by Arthur Treacher, Billy Gilbert, and Esther Dale)
• "Curly Top" - John Boles

Our Little Girl (1935)

Elsa: "Mother’s going away for a little while and when she comes back she won't be married to Daddy any longer."
Molly: "Who will you be married to, Mommy?"

Order: 7

Year: 1935

Rated: PG (Probably for adult themes)

Runtime: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Starring

Shirley Temple as Molly Middleton

Rosemary Ames as Elsa Middleton

Joel McCrea as Don Middleton

Lyle Talbot as Rolfe Brent

Plot: After a young girl's parents begin to separate, her father to his work and her mother to the neighbor, she runs away in hope that it will bring them back together.

Comments

Our Little Girl is probably the most depressing Shirley movie of them all. That's saying a lot considering how many times a little girl can be orphaned. Although this movie does end happily (kind of) it's one hell of a depressing ride getting there.

In the opening of the movie, we see Elsa and little Molly Middleton preparing a cake for their bi-annual picnic trip up to Heaven's Gate. Elsa calls her busy doctor husband to see if he's still coming and even though he's incredibly involved with his work, he meets them for cake and swimming. There's about ten minutes of this overly sweet family bonding and I couldn't help but feel pangs in my stomach of impending doom.

In fact, on their walk back from Heaven's Gate, the Middletons run into their friend, Rolfe Brent who quickly invites Elsa to go horseback riding. Don doesn't mind as he's busy with his work. Over the next few months, Elsa and Rolfe spend more and more time together and presumably begin an affair off screen. Don isn't entirely the victim either. His assistant, Nurse Sarah Boynton, is in love with him and we are never certain if he's

leading her on or not.

Our Little Girl is painful because little Molly is completely unaware of her parents' failing marriage until Rolfe asks her to call him "Uncle Rolfe" and tells her that soon she'll be living in his house. Don is upset, but hides it and offers Molly a trip to the circus to take her mind off of her expected picnic at Heaven's Gate. While at the circus, Sarah comes to inform Don of an emergency at the hospital and she is left to take care of his daughter.

For those of you afraid of clowns (like yours truly) fear not, because Molly doesn't end up joining the circus like the creepy video box portrays. Instead, Molly sneaks out and makes her own Heaven's Gate picnic. Elsa and Don are immediately informed and begin searching for her. In the mean time, Rolfe and Sarah lament to each other that they are the losers and that Don and Elsa are meant to be together. And then everything is magically patched up in an exceedingly short amount of time. Even for a Shirley Temple movie, everything is magically patched up in an exceedingly short amount of time.

The impression I got from Our Little Girl was that it was written by someone who suffered some severe childhood trauma involving unfaithful parents and needed a way to healthily let go of their suffering... then they remembered it was a Shirley Temple vehicle, tacked on a rushed happy ending, and decided to call it "Our Little Girl".

This brings up a topic that I've been wondering about. Were Shirley's movies made for children? Or the parents? Or both? Although nowadays, "family" is its own genre, in the thirties there was no such thing. (Kind of like "teenagers" didn't exist until post World War II). Certainly all the movies so far have had some adult themes, but is that because there was no such thing as "family friendly" films or was it so the parents didn't get bored? Burning questions all, and unfortunately, I have no answers.

This movie is one of my least favorites in the canon (only behind the painfully dull Stand Up and Cheer!) It's just so damn depressing and uncomfortable. I spent half my time shielding my eyes, and trust me, I am not an eye shielder! At least it was only 65 minutes long, so the pain was over quickly. Save this one for when you're in a crappy mood.

Featured Songs

"Lullaby to a Doll" - Shirley Temple

The Little Colonel (1935)

Lloyd: "Don't you dare poke me with that old stick!"
Colonel Lloyd: "You'd better learn some respect for your elders."
Lloyd: "I won't respect anyone who pokes me with a stick!"

Order: 6
Year: 1935
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Starring
Shirley Temple as Lloyd Sherman
Lionel Barrymore as Colonel Lloyd
Evelyn Venable as Elizabeth Lloyd Sherman
John Lodge as Jack Sherman

Plot: After a young southern belle defies her colonel father to marry a Yankee, he refuses contact with her, but this changes several years later, when her charming and equally stubborn daughter makes her way in to his life.

Comments
The Little Colonel was not a Shirley movie that I grew up with. In fact, I bought it along with Stand Up and Cheer!, the next movie in the canon, Our Little Girl, and the last, Young People. That being said, this movie was one that I didn't think I was going to fully enjoy, but, surprisingly, I did.

The Little Colonel is known for having the Oscar winning Lionel Barrymore as a co-star. Despite being one of Hollywood's top actors, he is actually billed second to Shirley. In this film, he plays her grandfather, Colonel Lloyd, but he might as well be Colonel Sanders. White suit, string tie, white pointed mustache and goatee combo...and the film is set it Kentucky. I looked it up on Wikipedia to see if The Little Colonel ripped off KFC, but it turns out the fast food chain was established until 1952, so if anything, KFC owes Fox. But then, I can't help but wonder if all antebellum colonels dress the same. It's a mystery.

Because this movie is set in the 1870's, you might have guessed that Shirley is surrounded by freed slaves and you'd be right. First, Hattie McDaniel, who is mostly known for playing Mammy in Gone With the Wind, plays the same role here only it's ten years later and her name is Mom Beck. (I know this is off topic, but I hate the fact that Hattie McDaniel beat Olivia de Havilland for Best Supporting Actress in 1939 for a role no different than this one). Anyway, Lloyd is also friends with two black children, May Lily and Henry Clay who act as her main playmates. And later, she starts a friendship with Walker, her grandfather's butler, over a love of dancing. Walker is played by Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and this is the movie with the famous "staircase dancing" scene.

When Elizabeth left her home to marry a Yankee, I had hope that the marriage would survive against all odds. Fast forward six years and Jack Sherman is heading west to make it rich, and Elizabeth and Lloyd go back to Kentucky to live in the family cottage. I knew that he was going to get swindled, and sure enough he bought a faulty gold mine. When he finally comes home, Jack is feverish and I was just waiting for him to die. But he didn't. A guy from the Union Pacific railroad comes by and buys the land and almost immediately, his sickness is cured.

To makes a long story short, Lloyd's parents do survive and everything works out for them in the end. Elizabeth is also reunited with her father, thanks to little Lloyd's persistance. In the case of The Little Colonel, Lloyd doesn't bring together a quarreling couple, she brings together an estranged father and daughter.

Featured Songs

• "Love's Young Dream" - Evelyn Venable
• "Wade in the Water" - Ensemble
• "Love's Young Dream" - Shirley Temple
• "My Old Kentucky Home" - Bill Robinson

Bright Eyes (1934)

Shirley: "Loop, isn't this the lady whose picture you have in your book?"
Loop: "Yeah. She's one of them."

Order: 5

Year: 1934

Rated: PG

Runtime: 1 hour, 23 minutes

Starring

Shirley Temple as Shirley Blake

James Dunn as James "Loop" Merritt

Charles Sellon as Ned Smith

Judith Allen as Adele Martin

Plot: An orphaned girl is taken in by a snobbish family at the insistence of their rich, crotchety uncle, even as her devoted aviator godfather fights for her custody. (This plot synopsis is from IMDb. I couldn't word it any better myself.)

Comments

I have probably seen Bright Eyes more than any other Shirley Temple movie. I had a friend named Alysha Middleton who whenever over at my house insisted on watching Bright Eyes. It's the most commonly known Shirley movie, thanks to "On the Good Ship Lollipop" and, ultimately the movie that shot her to stardom. After several forced viewings ala Alysha, I began to resent it and avoided it when picking out a movie to watch. Until today I hadn't seen it since 1998.

I have to say I liked Bright Eyes far better than movies #1 through #4. I was starting to think that maybe my Shirley fandom was something perpetuated by fond childhood memories. Although I'm certain that's part of it, Bright Eyes has reinstated my faith in Shirley Temple movies and I am looking forward to the next seventeen movies in the canon.

One of the reasons this movie is so much better than its predecessors is because of its supporting characters. Of course, Shirley is as sweet and impish as ever, but this time, other characters manage to not be blinded by her spotlight. Take the character of Joy Smythe, the young daughter of Shirley's mother's employer. The exact opposite of Shirley, Joy is a terror, selfish, spoiled, undeserving, destructive, and rotten to the core. This reader is actually considering having her tubes tied, that's how horrid Joy is. Not only is Joy your stereotypical spoiled little rich girl, she is also quite terrifying. Case in point: she wants to operate on Shirley's doll and requests a machine gun for Christmas. I'm surprised she didn't kill Shirley's dog Rags and shove him in the freezer.

Obviously, Joy's presence in the film is to make Shirley a more sympathetic character, if that's at all possible. After all, not only did Shirley lose her father in a plane crash, her mother also "cracks up" after getting hit by a car on Christmas. Her godfather, "Loop" (James Dunn's last role in a Shirley movie) breaks the news to her on her first airplane ride. It's a heartbreaking scene and very well acted by Dunn.

After Shirley is orphaned, the Smythes take Shirley in, much to the insistence of their cantankerous and wealthy Uncle Ned who has fallen for Shirley's charm. He wants to adopt her, and the Smythes are willing to go along with anything as long as they get a piece of the will. Also in the mix is Adele Martin, Mrs. Smythe's good natured cousin who quickly sees through Uncle Ned's tough exterior. If you hadn't guessed already, Adele and Loop are romantically entangled. They were once engaged, but she left him (the sordid details are never fully explained) and he's never fully forgiven her.

A custody battle ensues, but in the end, the judge allows Shirley to choose whom she wants to live with. Naturally, she chooses Loop, Uncle Ned and Adele. Adele and Loop make up and plan to get married. The Smythes are left with nothing but their bratty daughter, who gets a well deserved slap in the very last scene.

Bright Eyes is much richer than former Shirley movies. Many fans will claim this one as their favorite, but I am keeping silent on my ranking until I've viewed all 22 films. I will say this, if you're going to watch only one Shirley film, this should be it. It's a splendid and heartwarming example of the formula and a gateway for many fans.

Featured Songs

"On the Good Ship Lollipop" - Shirley Temple

"The Man on the Flying Trapeze" - Charles Sellon

Now and Forever (1934)

Jerry Day: "Toni, we're rich."

Toni Day: "Again? That's nice."

Order: 4

Year: 1934

Rated: NR

Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes

Starring

Gary Cooper as Jerry Day

Carole Lombard as Toni Day

Shirley Temple as Penny Day

Guy Standing as Felix Evans

Plot: A con artist originally intends to blackmail his brother-in-law into paying $75,000 for the custody of his daughter, but changes his mind after he gets to know her.

Comments

Now and Forever didn't end the way I expected it to. After years of viewing Shirley's movies, I was fairly certain I knew the formula inside out: cute singing orphan + dysfunctional couple = happy family and schmaltzy ending. But I was wrong. Dear readers, I must announce that Now and Forever has a bittersweet ending instead of the usual sugary sweet kind.

From the get go, things are little bit darker than usual. Jerry and Toni Day are a couple that flit all over the world and con their way into free food and lodging. But after three years of this life, Toni is growing restless and isn't sure that chasing trains (the most overused phrase in the film) is the way she wants to spend her golden years. Luckily at this time, Jerry receives word about his six year old daughter from his first marriage. His first wife's (she's dead, of course) brother wants to adopt little Penny Day, and the reckless Jerry is all for it...as long as he gets money out of it. This pretty much tears it for Toni and she heads to Paris to clear her head.

Jerry travels to his brother-in-law's home, fully intending to hand over custody for a steep 75 grand. While bargaining, he meets his daughter, probably for the first time since her birth and finds her to be a charming little creature and decides to keep her. What ensues afterwards is typical single father fair. He only feeds her hot dogs and ice cream and spoils her rotten. After struggling for a few weeks, Toni returns from Paris and finds herself in the surprising position of stepmother.

One thing about Now and Forever (and Little Miss Marker, for that matter) is that they are much slower paced than the Fox films. It seems as though Penny has been with Jerry for six months before things start going sour. An old rich widow is captivated by Penny and thinks that Jerry is an unfit father and offers to take Penny off his hands when he grows tired of her. And much to this film fan's surprise, he does, despite his denial.

Towards the end of the movie, Jerry steals one of the widow's gaudy emerald necklaces and hides it in Penny's Teddy bear. After Penny learns the truth, Toni takes the blame so Penny can keep a positive view of her father. Jerry, sickened with himself, gets the necklace back, returns it to its owner and tells the widow that she take Penny and raise her as a proper young lady, but not before he gets shot in a fight for the necklace. In the last scene of the movie, Jerry waves good-bye to his daughter while she in unaware that he's given her up. He then falls to his death, after neglecting his gunshot wound.

It was the very beginning of Shirley Temple's reign, and the formula had not yet been perfected. As unsatisfying as Now and Forever is, I give it props for ending the way it did. Penny did end up with the right person. Still, it does seem like kind of a cop out. It's much more satisfying to have her work her magic on the crooked and negligent and whip them into decent parents ala Little Miss Marker. However, Now and Forever unwittingly teaches an important lesson that some people are not meant to be parents and they should be willing to let their children have a better life, if the opportunity is available. Personal opinions on parenting aside, Now and Forever takes an interesting and anti-climactic place at the beginning of the Shirley Temple canon, and truly, it would not fit well anywhere else.

Featured Songs

"The World Owes Me a Living" - Shirley Temple

Baby Take a Bow (1934)

Kay Ellison: “You couldn’t get away from me if you tried.”
Eddie Ellison: “I tried to hide from you in prison and it was hopeless.”

Order: 3

Year: 1934

Rated: PG (for a frightening scene)

Runtime: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Starring

Shirley Temple as Shirley Ellison

James Dunn as Eddie Ellison

Claire Trevor as Kay Ellison

Alan Dinehart as Detective Welch

Plot: An ex-con, who has long since gone straight and started a family, is accused of stealing a pearl necklace from his employer which complicates further after an old pal gives the necklace to his daughter.

Comments

Baby Take a Bow was never really one of my favorites. Maybe it's the lack of songs, maybe it's the very prolonged game of hide and seek. Whatever the reason, this movie just doesn't leave me with that fuzzy feeling inside. Although it does have its merits, but they all have to do with Shirley's parents.

First of all, Baby Take a Bow is the only Shirley movie (that I can think of right now) where both of her parents are alive. This may not sound like much, but let me warn you right now, dear readers, that no actor has been orphaned more than Shirley Temple. In the future, if there's a scene with our little star smiling and singing with both her parents, be forewarned that one, if not both of them, will soon kick the bucket.

Secondly, not only are Shirley's parents both alive and well, they are also very happy together. Another forewarning, Shirley likes to play accidental matchmaker. (As seen with Sorrowful Jones and Bangles Carson in Little Miss Marker). If two people, usually acting as surrogate parents for whatever reason, have a little tiff, nothing can bring them together faster than a sweet, singing orphan in need of a mommy and daddy. In the case of Eddie and Kay Ellison, their marriage is tightly held together with no unraveling in sight.

And thirdly, I admire the opening scenes of Baby Take a Bow where Kay is purchasing a ticket to Niagra Falls for her honeymoon with one short detour to Ossining, NY (the location of the infamous Sing-Sing Prison) to pick up her sweetie from the pen. Despite harassment from the sales clerk and Welch, the detective responsible for Eddie's incarceration, Kay stands her ground, unashamed of her future husband. In the case of this movie, Shirley's papa is an ex-con. Of course, we never discover his actual crime but one can only assume it was robbery. Young Shirley could never spring forth from the loins of a murderer. I'm very impressed that Hollywood at that point in time would tell the tale of how a criminal could see the path of righteousness and become a good husband and father. Not only is Shirley's father (played by James Dunn, once again) fully redeemed, a friend of his also gets out of Sing-Sing and becomes a functioning member of society. It's refreshing, that's all I'm saying.

Still, like I said before, there's just something about Baby Take a Bow that doesn't fully satisfy me. The last half hour consists of a nerve racking (okay, so it's not Mission Impossible, but it's intense for me) scene where Welch is searching casa de Ellison for the missing pearls. First they're in Eddie's pocket, then they're in the coffee pot, then they're in the carpet sweeper...ugh. Call it farcical if you want, it's stressful to me. Over all, Baby Take a Bow (named after James Dunn and Shirley's song in Stand Up and Cheer!) isn't a bad Shirley movie, but it's not particularly good either. As with any movie, you'll have to make an opinion yourself.

Featured Songs

"On Account-a I Love You" - James Dunn and Shirley Temple

Teardrops on My VCR: Forrest Gump (1994)

It was the first movie I recall seeing in the movie theater. At the age of 6, I didn't understand one goddamn thing about Vietnam or Watergate or ping pong. The only thing I understood was Forrest loved Jenny and when they were kids, they slept in the same bed. As a young romantic, I couldn't understand why I couldn't have such sleepovers with my best male friend (who I not-so-secretly had a crush on). But that's another story...

In the first grade, I wasn't so emotionally developed to I cry during this movie. It wasn't until one PMSy day in high school, alone in my basement. I have a habit of never crying during something atrociously sad (like Thomas J.'s death in My Girl) until much, much later. But then it hits you the way The Notebook hits most adolescent girls for the first time. [Shudder].

What made me cry...
The romance between the adorably dimwitted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and the emotionally damaged Jenny Curran (Robin Wright-Penn) is one of the most tumultuous in cinema. Never before has a more one sided love affair been presented on celluloid.At the end of the film, after Forrest has spent his life hopelessly devoted to his childhood pal, he finally gets to marry her. But alas, her hedonistic disco life has given her AIDS and she dies shortly after they wed.

Then Forrest speaks to her grave. He describes taking care of their son, and the aspects of destiny. And how he buried her under the tree where they spent they're childhood. As Forrest tearfully walks away, a flock of birds flies towards the tree. Ah, symbolism, how you make a weeper out of me.

Why I cried...
Even though Forrest spent his entire life relentlessly in love with Jenny and he finally got her, he had such a brief amount of time with her. It's almost cruel. Not to mention her poor treatment of him. Such as constantly choosing jerks over him, claiming he doesn't know what love is, and rejecting his marriage proposal even when knowing he's the only man who's ever truly loved her.
And the kicker is, Forrest never thinks Jenny is doing anything wrong. His love is unconditional. Like for a family member. It's not my intention to turn their love incestuous, but I'm convinced most people wouldn't put up with such behavior for thirty years.

Teardrops on My VCR: Atonement (2007)

So, I cry during movies...quite a bit. And because I wanted to start yet another series, here is one that will dissect my reasons behind crying during any given scene during a film. Sometimes it's from happiness, sometimes from release. Others because I can personally relate to the scene. But most of the time it's from sheer depression.

For my first "Teardrops" blog, I'll discuss the tragic WWII era epic romance Atonement.

What made me cry...

At the end of the film, an elderly Briony Tallis (played by Vanessa Redgrave) is conducting an interview on her latest and last novel, "Atonement", which portrays the events of the film. She is overcome with grief and admits to the autobiographical elements of the book and how the happy ending is fictional.

In truth, Robbie Turner (the very sexy James McAvoy) died of septicemia the day before the evacuation of Dunkirk.

And Briony's sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) was killed in the Balham Tube Station flooding.

Briony never made amends with her sister. And Robbie and Cecelia never saw each other after their one half hour meeting at the coffee shop.

Through this quote, Briony explains her reasoning for changing the ending:

"So, my sister and Robbie were never able to have the time together they both so longed for... and deserved. Which ever since I've... ever since I've always felt I prevented. But what sense of hope or satisfaction could a reader derive from an ending like that? So in the book, I wanted to give Robbie and Cecilia what they lost out on in life. I'd like to think this isn't weakness or... evasion... but a final act of kindness. I gave them their happiness."

The movie ends with a scene of the fictional Robbie and Cecilia enjoying their togetherness while chasing waves on an English beach.

Why it made me cry...

Well, this is one of the more personal ones. I plan on someday writing a series of young adult novels based on the true events of my romantic life. (Not self-indulgent at all, is it?) Anyway, if things don't conclude climactically or harmoniously, I will fake a happy ending. Like Briony said, what sense of hope or satisfaction can a reader find in an unhappy ending after you've dragged a reader/viewer through such tumultuous events?

But truly, the real sadness comes from the realization that the real characters died seperated and miserable. To hell with their fictional counterparts. A fake happy ending doesn't make up for the real tragedy.

Little Miss Marker (1934)

"Sorrowful" Jones: "So he sneaked her out, eh? Serves me right. Every time I get big hearted–"
Regret: "When was the other time?"

Order: 2

Rated: NR

Runtime: 1 hour, 19 minutes

Starring

Shirley Temple as Marthy Jane a.k.a. "Marky"

Adolph Menjou as "Sorrowful" Jones

Dorothy Dell as Bangles Carson

Charles Bickford as Big Steve Halloway

Plot: A jaded bookie and a cabaret singer wind up as reluctant parental figures after a young girl is left as a marker at a horse track.

Comments

Little Miss Marker is a vast improvement from Stand Up and Cheer! in nearly every possible way. Here, the true Shirley formula has begun: a young orphan (or at least motherless) Shirley touches the heart of a few undesirable folks with her innocence and talent.

Little Miss Marker, along with movie #4, Now and Forever, were both produced by Paramount Pictures early in Shirley’s career. I’m not completely sure as to why Shirley was loaned to Paramount for two movies. (Maybe if I was a good little film student and read her autobiography I would know). It doesn’t make a difference, Little Miss Marker wasn’t really any different from any of the other movies Shirley would make in the future.

The plot of this movie is a tad barbaric: a gambling addict leaves his child at a horse track as a marker while he goes to find more money. He doesn’t return, so the head bookie takes her home for the evening. The next day, the bookie and his friends learn that the father had committed suicide, leaving the child on their hands. If you’re familiar with the Shirley formula, you may have already guessed that the bookie, one "Sorrowful" Jones, is an old grump who wants nothing of children, women, or love. Of course, in the end, he finds all three.

One interesting thing that I found about Little Miss Marker was Shirley’s character’s transformation. In the beginning, "Marky" is precocious, innocent, and constantly comparing real life to that of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But as time goes on, and Marky is surrounded by the dregs of society (okay "dregs" is a little harsh, but these people are gamblers, drunks, and tramps...not the best company for impressionable little ladies), she starts to pick up on the rougher side of life and begins to get sour and wisecracking. Bangles Carson, (awesome stage name!), the one woman in this group sees that Marky needs her childhood whimsy returned and organizes a King Arthur party.

At first, Marky thinks the whole thing is childish. Then "her" horse, the Charger is brought out and everything is like new again. This is when things get a little worrisome. The Charger's owner (who also happens to be Bangles' boyfriend and the only external conflict keeping her and Sorrowful apart) appears, making the horse nervous and causing it to throw little Marky. She is rushed to the hospital in desperate need of a blood transfusion, but the only one who matches her type is Big Steve, Bangles' boyfriend.

Of course, in the end, everything is set as right as rain. Marky lives, Big Steve dumps Bangles and leaves her to Sorrowful. Presumably they all live happily ever after. It's a typical Shirley Temple movie ending. The only difference with this film is that it wasn't made by Fox.

Featured Songs

"I’m Just a Black Sheep Who’s Blue" - Dorothy Dell

"Low Down Lullaby" - Dorothy Dell

"Laugh You Son of a Gun" - Dorothy Dell and Shirley Temple

"Sidewalks of New York" - Ensemble

"The Bowery" - Ensemble

The Shirley Temple Canon Ranking Attempt

During the Christmas break of my sophomore year at college, I discovered blogspot. Thanks to the IMDb hitlist, I found a couple doing an exploration of all the best picture winners who posted a blog about each one. A few years ago, I had watched and ranked all the best picture winners so I was immediately intrigued and loved the idea of going through an entire list of movies. But because there so many BPW's and I had so little time, I settled on the 22 movies from Shirley Temple's youth.

 

Since I was a little girl (in the early to mid-90's) I have been a fan of Shirley Temple. I have collected most of her movies (on good ole’ VHS) and devoured them. I love them. The childish off key cutesy singing. The extraordinary tap dancing numbers. The cheesy-deep-fried-in-sugar dialogue. I love it all. I feel that no one is really familiar with her movies anymore so I have taken it upon myself to view and dissect her canon.

I originally started in 2007, with half of the blogs being written then. Shit happens, blah blah blah and I didn't finish. But since a friend of mine has all of them on VHS, I figured now was as good a time as any to finish.

So here's some information from my original blog...

I will watch the 22 Shirley Temple vehicles starting with Stand Up and Cheer! made in 1934 to Young People made in 1940. Over the next few weeks, I will post a blog on each in chronological order. I will give basic information on each film (i.e., ratings, run time, plot summaries, etc.) I will also give a list of featured songs and offer my favorite quote. Finally I will discuss the film in question to the best of my ability.

As you may know, the Motion Picture Association of America instituted its rating system on November 1, 1968, long after the Shirley films were made. But by the late 80's, Shirley’s movies were being release on home video, meant to be devoured by families across America. With censor friendly parents chomping at the bit to show their kids the "gentler" good old days, the Fox video department thought it wise to go back and rate all the movies in the Shirley canon by the M.P.A.A.’s current standards. This resulted in 11 of the films being rated "G" and 9 being rated "PG". This is most likely due to the racial stereotypes and mild violence that I’ll discuss later. The other 2 films, Little Miss Marker and Now and Forever were released by Paramount Pictures and not re-rated for their video releases in the early 2000's. 

For those of you who are sticklers... On Shirley Temple’s actress page on IMDb, there are two films made in between Stand Up and Cheer! and Young People that won’t be discussed in this blog. They are Change of Heart and Now I’ll Tell. What I can gather from these movies’ pages, Shirley is a minor character and brought in for whatever reason. This blog will only focus on her star vehicles in which she is given top billing. As for after Young People, those films were made after Shirley’s contract at 20th Century Fox had ran out and she was picked up by other production companies. Afterwards, her films had more of a "teen" feeling. 

Okay...so yeah...I'll be posting the ones I wrote a year ago shortly and hopefully get going tomorrow.

Stand Up and Cheer! (1934)

Angie: "Did you know that Lawrence Cromwell is the authority on feminine beauty?"
Secretary: "A lot of good that’ll do you, Angie."

Order: 1
Rated: PG (for good ol' 30's style racism)
Runtime: 1 hour, 9 minutes

From the commencement, let me state that Stand Up and Cheer! is not what we know as a "Shirley Temple movie"; it just so happens to be a movie with Shirley Temple in it and the first of her films at Twentieth Century Fox. Those expecting a story about how a sweet little waif single-handedly ends the Great Depression with her tap dancing and dimples will be sorely disappointed. Instead, it is the story of Lawrence Cromwell (Warner Baxter), who is appointed the "Secretary of Amusement", a government ordained position meant to cheer up all those sad Americans.

For the next twenty minutes, we get several boring musical numbers and audition pieces for the BIG! DAMN! SHOW! Cromwell is putting on. All are mediocre or laughable in an unintentional way. "Broadway's Gone Hill-Billy", is particularly grating. Then comes the only reason why anyone in the modern era would watch this film: Shirley Temple's film debut.

Shirley plays the talented daughter of Jimmy Dugan (James Dunn), a vaudevillian trying to get his father-daughter act into the BIG! DAMN! SHOW! But first, they have to convince Mary Adams (Madge Evans), the head of the children's department to let little Shirley audition even though she is just under the age limit. After meeting Cromwell, Shirley melts her first heart of many and is allowed to perform.

Certainly, the brightest spot in the whole film is Shirley's number with James Dunn, "Baby, Take a Bow". Unfortunately, there are 45 more agonizing minutes until the film's end. Here's what you need to know: more numbers, Cromwell flirts with the head of the children's department, Cromwell struggles with his political duties, evil bankers want the Depression to go on longer...yadda, yadda, yadda.

But because this is a movie, the Great Depression magically ends seven years early thanks to Cromwell's efforts. Then there's a BIG! DAMN! PARADE! where Shirley returns for a ten second cameo.

I'm going to be a huge fucking star!

As well as being mostly boring as Hell, Stand Up and Cheer! is also racist. I know what you're thinking: practically everything in the 30's was a little bit racist. However, when you're not exposed to that kind of "comedy" routinely, it's uncomfortable when you actually see it. Several actors in the background are made up in black face. And then there’s Steppin Fetchit, an actor who specialized int playing lazy, dumb, poor, and "jive-talking" African-Americans. Oh my God, his scenes are painful to watch in this enlightened age. All those who think Gone With the Wind is bad...just stay away.

I bought this film--on VHS--in 2004 to complete my Shirley Temple collection which I started in the mid-90's. It was actually the last one I needed and the hardest one to find. My video has had over 15 minutes of Steppin Fetchit material removed (according the box). Knowing what they kept in, I don't even want to think of that missing footage.

If it weren't for Shirley Temple, this film would have easily fallen into obscurity. Basically all of the musical numbers are crap and the acting is unmemorable and hardly worth mentioning--whoops--except for James Dunn and Shirley who aren't acting but letting their natural charm/fucking adorableness ooze. Rest assured that Stand Up and Cheer! is the worst of the Shirley Temple canon, if we can even consider it a part of the canon. The folks who release the DVD's sure do, so on the list it goes.

Featured Songs

• "I’m Laughin’" - Dick Foran, Tess Gardella and Ensemble 
• "Baby, Take a Bow" - James Dunn and Shirley Temple 
• "Broadway’s Gone Hill-Billy" - Sylvia Froos and Ensemble
• "This is Our Last Night Together" - John Boles and Sylvia Froos
• "We're Out of the Red" - Dick Foran and Ensemble
• "Stand Up and Cheer" - Dick Foran

Titanic (1997)

Rose: “You’re crazy!”

Jack: “Well, that’s what everybody says. But with all due respect, miss, I’m not the one hanging off the back of a ship here.”

Title: Titanic
Genre: Historical Romance
Year: 1997
Rated: PG-13

Starring
Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt-Bukater
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
Billy Zane as Caledon Hockley
Gloria Stuart as Rose Calvert

Plot: An engaged rich girl and a poor artist meet and fall in love on board the ill-fated unsinkable ship.

Tagline: A woman’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets.

First Viewing: Summer of 1998, rented on VHS.
Added to The List: Always been there.

Comments
It may be the highest grossing film of all time. It may have won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture. It may have properly launched two of our greatest working actors. But the truth is, Titanic isn’t that great. Now, don’t get me wrong. I fucking love this movie, but 12 years later, it’s kind of hard to believe that this movie was once the living end.

I was nine years old when Titanic was released in theaters. All of my friends had seen it and since I was a slave to their social whims, I wanted to see it too, despite having no prior knowledge of the unsinkable ship. However, my mother refused to take me simply because she hated long movies. So it wasn’t until later in the summer of 1998 when I finally saw it when my mom caved and rented it on video.

Neither of us liked it.

This is a reoccurring theme on my list. Movies I don’t like somehow end up there with repeated viewings. Magically, Titanic was shown on HBO a few times and then on the major networks. Slowly…ever so slowly, I fell in love with it and soon I was renting it when renting videos was obsolete. By high school, Titanic had made my list.

All of the movies on my list are there because they resurrect childhood memories or strike an emotional chord. Titanic does neither. Therefore, I’ve decided to use this blog to determine why exactly this romantic epic not only makes my list, but ranks in the top five.

Until The Notebook (gag!) came along, I was certain Titanic would be hailed as the romance of my generation. After all, it contains all the classic necessities:

1. Rich girl (meaning beautiful costumes)

2. Poor boy (meaning full of integrity)

3. Evil fiancée

4. Overbearing mother

5. Historical event full of danger and adventure

The story starts out simple enough. Rose DeWitt-Bukater is a rich debutante on her way to America with her overbearing mother and asshole fiancée. Depressed with her meaningless life, Rose contemplates jumping off the back of the Titanic. Luckily, starving artist Jack Dawson happens upon her and convinces her not to do it.

After saving Rose, her fiancée Cal invites him to dinner in the first class dining room. Jack actually makes an impression on the other rich folks. Afterwards, Jack and Rose attend a third class party. Cal’s valet discovers them and reports back to his master. Both Cal and Rose’s mother Ruth forbid her from seeing Jack ever again.

(P.S. I love this scene!!!)

Jack seeks Rose out of concern, but she rebuffs him. Finally, Rose refuses to accept her life of unhappiness and finds Jack. Then he holds her on the beau of the ship.

Then he draws her in the nake.

Then they have sex in the backseat of a car.

And all though it doesn’t make “any sense,” Rose has every intention of leaving with Jack as soon as they arrive in America. To hell with Cal! To hell with her mother’s debt! And to hell with society! It seems all is well for our two lovers, but alas…tragedy strikes when the Titanic hits an iceberg and all hell breaks lose.

Titanic is a classic external conflict romance. Everything keeping Jack and Rose from achieving their happy ending is caused by outward sources and neither character’s personal weaknesses. Through out the movie, Rose overcomes her slavery to societal rules and defies her mother by breaking her engagement with Cal. Jack never has an emotional conflict. He’s in love with Rose at first sight. Of course, internal conflicts could arise if they had both survived and if they remained together. After all, Rose is used to the sweet life and Jack may feel guilt about not being able to provide for her…

But I digress. Personally, I feel a more tragic romantic scenario is when two people can be together, but refuse to for reasons like “what’s better for the other person” (like at the end of Spider-Man and Casablanca) or a prior relationship/marriage to another person (like in The Bridges of Madison County…and Casablanca) or a needless infatuation with another person (like in Wuthering Heights and Gone With the Wind).

I digress more…Titanic is a far from perfect movie, even when you ignore the historical inaccuracy and average, simplistic screenplay and concentrate solely on the love story. First of all, you have to remember that the entire film takes place over four and a half days:

Day 1: Everyone boards the ship. (With a four and a half day time frame, you think they’d at least meet on the first day!)
Day 2: Jack sees Rose. Jack convinces Rose not to commit suicide.
Day 3: Jack and Rose take a walk around the ship. Jack comes to dinner. Jack and Rose go to the third class party.
Day 4: Rose rejects Jack. Jack draws Rose wearing only the Heart of the Ocean. Jack and Rose have sex. The Titanic hits the iceberg.
Day 5: The ship sinks. Jack freezes to death. Rose is rescued.

I’ve never been a fan of love at first sight. I don’t believe it truly exists. Generally, I enjoy love stories where the hero and heroine have a solid amount of time to talk and get to know one another. Perhaps that’s why I love Beauty and the Beast so much (but even that movie can be taken as taking place over the same amount of time as Titanic…but that’s debatable).

What’s with me and my digressions in this blog? Let’s just get to the most controversial aspect. The “never let go part.”

So Jack and Rose were actually on the ship as it sank and are separated in the confusion. He finds her and swims her to a piece of floating wood paneling. They both try to get on, but it can only support the weight of one. And since this film takes place in a time when chivalry was not yet dead, Jack lets Rose stay on the wood. Personally, if I had written/directed this film, I would have Rose insist that Jack get on the panel, or have her offer a trade, “You ten minutes, me ten minutes” for example. Of course, chivalrous Jack would refuse, but that one line, that one offer would make the movie all the better.

As they’re freezing in the water and awaiting the arrival of the lifeboats, Rose starts saying her goodbyes. Jack rebuts and makes her promise to survive and go on to lead a full life. Rose agrees. So, after what seems like forever, the boats finally arrive. Rose tries to wake Jack but realizes he’s dead. I love the moment when she settles back down on the panel like she has no plan to get up. She’s lost the love of her life. But then she frantically remembers the promise she made. And vows to “never let go” of that promise. Not him. Not his frozen, lifeless corpse. The promise. I hate when people who saw this movie once, six years ago, make fun of this scene. I defend it. Ruthlessly.

The one final thing I’d like to cover in my epically long winded Titanic blog is the subject of Rose’s virginity. In the scene where Cal first presents Rose with the Heart of the Ocean, he says “There’s nothing I would deny you, if you would not deny me.” Later on, the night after the third class party, Cal’s says “I hoped that you would come to me last night.” All of this is so highly unorthodox. It’s no longer the Victorian era, but in 1912, virginity was still a prized attribute in a bride. All though they’re engaged, I don’t think premarital sex, especially among the first class, was a common practice. Then later in the backseat of the Model T, Jack asks Rose if she’s nervous which I assume is because he assumes she’s a virgin. I hope he wasn’t disappointed. I don’t really see why Cal and Rose having a sexual relationship is necessary and I still don’t know why James Cameron put it in.

I think I’ve finally figured out why I love Titanic so much. Rose had this one four day fling with some random man she met on a ship at age seventeen. But the love touched her so deeply, that she let it affect all the aspects of her life. I mean, she took his name for Christ sakes! And at the end of the movie, we see the picture of her riding a horse in front of a roller coaster in Santa Monica. Rose never considers her love for Jack as a teenage whim. Sure, she probably loved her husband (after all she had to fulfill her promise to “make lots of babies”) but who does she meet in heaven? Who is waiting for her in heaven? (Which raises the question…is there a special section of heaven for Titanic victims?)

Okay…I’ve written four pages on this movie. But I reached my goal in discovering my reasons behind my love for Titanic. It’s not just the wonderful, hauntingly beautiful score. Or awesome costumes. Or Leo’s incredibly sexy portrayal of Jack Dawson (see my list of Top 10 Hottest Movie Characters). It’s Rose’s never ending love for a man “who exists now only in her memory.” Because of which, I have an immense amount of respect for her.

Favorite Screencap:

Fine...judge me.