Little Miss Broadway (1938)

In contrast to some other reviewers, I thought this was a highlight of Shirley's movie career, along with the recently completed "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" and the prior "Heidi" As one reviewer noted, this plays like a miniature version of the "Broadway Melody of ...." series. In fact, leading man George Murphy was a leading character in the 1938 and 1940 versions, exhibiting his somewhat limited dancing skill. We have quite a few old and new songs scattered throughout. The new ones were composed by Harold Spina and Walter Bullock, and aren't bad, although none made the hit parade. Most are sung and sometimes danced by Shirley. However, Murphy gets a couple of song and dances, alone or with Shirley, including the title song. Sometimes, as with the beginning "Be Optimistic" , a girl chorus backed up Shirley. The male quartet had a couple of numbers. Unfortunately, Jimmy Durante's main song and dance with Shirley was cut, as was Shirley's imitation of Durante's style of speaking, when he's on the witness stand. These outtakes may be seen at YouTube. Just type in Little Miss Broadway and scroll down until you see it. Edna May Oliver makes a very forceful controller of the purse strings for the show troupe: the thorn in everyone's side, until the end, when she demands that the pay for performances by the troupe be double the offer by an anonymous man in the courtroom... Donald Meek plays Edna's brother, who tries to counter her extreme haughtiness. Edna and Meek live beside the boarding house that she owns, where the show performers are currently renting. This includes Shirley, after she is taken from an orphanage by the manager of the boarding house: Pop Shea and his daughter, played by Phyllis Brooks. I don't understand why Shirley was later sent back to the orphanage, and had to climb down a "rope" of bed sheets to escape and participate in the courtroom scene.. Claude Gillingwater plays the comical old judge who ordered the anticipated show to be performed in the courtroom so that he could judge whether it was likely to be a financial success. Mr. Gillingwater died the following year.George Murphy and Phyllis Brooks were the young romantic couple who planned on adopting Shirley after they married, which had been put off until the success of the show had been demonstrated... Shirley was cute, confident and competent throughout the film. She was 10 years old with only one more year of superstardom left. When Murthy invites her out to lunch, she pleads with Pop Shea "Please let me go. I'm old enough to go out with a nice young man". She finishes the film with her stock "Oh, my goodness", when she sees her future parents kissing, and she with their marriage license application in hand. It's obvious that Shirley looks somehow different. Yes, she's done up in curly pigtails rather than straight curls. Makes her look "sexier", I think. She sported similar pigtails in part of "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm".

Although most of the Shirley Temple movies were quite formulaic, most of them had a great deal of charm, and this is probably one of the better ones. One of the things that makes many of the Temple films so great are the supporting casts, and this one has a great cast.Shirley is a tad older here, but still bubbly, although this one doesn't have quite the classic songs that many of the films did. Here she plays an orphan that ends up living with an adoptive family in a show biz hotel. Of course, there is a threat to take Shirley away...that's to be expected.Edward Ellis is very pleasant as "Pop" and manager of the hotel.Edna May Oliver plays the bad "guy" who wants to shut down the hotel and have Shirley returned to the orphanage. If there's anything that doesn't work about this film, it's Oliver. She's simply too lovable to not come around and be an old softie. You know it's coming from the very beginning. Oliver has shined in practically every film she every appeared in -- she was a great scene stealer.Donald Meek, another wonderful character actor, shines here in a role that is just a little bigger than usual, here as the brother of Oliver.George Murphy proves once again that he was a pretty good hoofer and could play roles that were very sympathetic. Here he plays the bridge between his aunt (Oliver) and Temple's family.Jimmy Durante shines as a Broadway trooper with a big heart. Jane Darwell is here as the head of the orphanage. And the wonderful Claude Gillingwater plays the judge.Corny, of course. Heartwarming, of course. And just one more example that Shirley Temple could do what no other child actor ever could before or since. Try watching this film and not find yourself smiling.

An orphaned Shirley is adopted by an elderly man and his daughter who run a hotel for "Entertainers", however when the rent is past due, the grumpy wealthy landlady who lives next door, tries to have the hotel closed. When that attempt fails, she has Shirley sent back to the orphanage, because of the " unwholesome " atmosphere at the hotel. But fear not, it IS a Shirley movie---it always works out!I think this is an adorable movie. It's hard to grasp the reality of how YOUNG Shirley was when she did these films. To be so talented at such a young age! The story is cute, with a probably predictable ending, but the characters stand out and keep your interest. And watching Shirley dance to " We Belong Together " with George Murphy always makes me smile. Edna Oliver is PERFECT as a cantankerous IL' landlady. The film clearly isn't an Oscar winner, but if you enjoy good, wholesome entertainment without all the sex, violence and fowl language, you will LOVE this movie.

I'm not the biggest fan of black and white films but this was still good. That shouldn't interfere with the acting and story itself, but that's just me. I actually enjoyed this even though it lacked color. During the first ten or fifteen minutes, I was pretty determined that I was going to hate this film. It was kind of slow and the writing wasn't all that great. Then I realized that it was made in the '30s and should think how this would have appeared back then. I thought and began to enjoy it. I'll be honest, this is the first Shirley Temple film that I have ever seen. I've heard of her and had been wanting to see her in something for a while, but never did. I was so impressed with her acting ability. Plus, she's so cute dancing around that office. The rest of the cast is pretty good but I especially liked the part of Betsy Brown. While 'Little Miss Broadway' was still very slow, I enjoyed it because of the dancing number(s). Also, the writing was somewhat comical. This isn't one of the best films I have ever seen, not even close, but it was/is something good to see on a quiet afternoon when there is nothing else on.