KATHLEEN

US, 1941, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Shirley Temple, Herbert Marshall, Laraine Day, Gail Patrick, Felix Bressart, Nella Walker, Lloyd Corrigan.
Directed by Harold S. Bucquet.

Kathleen is a slight film, a vehicle for Shirley Temple after she finished her contract at 20th Century Fox. This film has MGM production values. Shirley is a bit older, a bit more deliberately wilful. Herbert Marshall is her father who ignores her. Laraine Day is the attractive doctor who will obviously make a wonderful stepmother and a wonderful wife.

1. Entertaining Shirley Temple vehicle? The tradition of Shirley Temple films? This one as Shirley became a teenager?

2. MGM production values, black and white photography? The cast? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Shirley, as a young American girl, her needs, her neglectful father?

4. The picture of Kathleen: Shirley Temple as wilful, her antagonism towards her governess? Escaping out of the house? Her fantasy about a child with a wonderful family, talking to Mr Schoner and telling him the stories of the girl on the hill? His wise advice? Being found out by the governess (and the explosives in the box)? Getting her father's attention? Her father's fiancee and her patronising attitude? Her relationship with her father, tense? The psychiatrist and his advice? The young doctor coming into the house, Kathleen liking her, their getting on well together, following her advice? Her matchmaking? The fantasy sequence and her imagining what might be? The happy ending?

5. Herbert Marshall as the busy father, neglecting his daughter, treating her as a little adult? His fiancee? Kathleen's imagination of him as a devoted father? The attraction towards the doctor - and the inevitable wedding?

6. The attractive doctor, the contrast with the fiancee - and the audience not wanting the fiancee to turn up? The doctor and her mothering of Kathleen, support, wise advice? Attracted towards the father? Not willing to admit it? The inevitable happy ending?

7. The sharpness of the governess, her cantankerous attitude, strict towards Kathleen? Her comeuppance?

8. Mr Schoner, a friendly man, listening to Kathleen's stories, giving her wise advice? Her finally telling him the truth?

9. Popular ingredients for popular entertainment?