LITTLE MISS BROADWAY

US, 1938, 70 minutes, Black and white.
Shirley Temple, George Murphy, Jimmy Durante, Edna May Oliver, Jane Darwell, Donald Meek.
Directed by Irving Cummings.

Little Miss Broadway is a typical enough Shirley Temple vehicle of the mid-30s. Once again, she is in an orphanage. She is adopted out - and charms everyone as well as taking charge of their lives. George Murphy plays the leading man and sings and dances with Shirley. A bonus for adult viewers of the film is the presence of Edna May Oliver as, as usual, a stuffy old spinster. Donald Meek is her meek brother. The film also offers an early appearance of Jimmy Durante in his inimitable style.

The final part of the plot has the show must go on - and does in a court presided over by Claude Gillingwater Snr., who appeared with Shirley as Uncle Sam in Just Around the Corner. Direction is by Irving Cummings who directed a number of Shirley Temple vehicles.

1. The popularity of Shirley Temple in the '3C's? The attractive little girl? Bounce and optimism? Typifying American values, sentiments?

2. Black and white photography, 20th. Century Fox production values, the hotels and orphanages, the court? The presentation of the show? Musical score - and the Hope and Optimism song?

3. The title and the allusion to Little Miss Marker and audience expectations about New York stories, difficulties, happy resolutions?

4. Shirley Temple and her screen presence, cuteness, charm, precocious? Singing with the orphans, being adopted, the hotel with Pop, her questions, seeming knowledge? Pop's daughter? The encounter with Aunt Sarah and the difficulties with the hotel? With the members of the troupe? The encounter with Roger and friendship? Persuading them to give the money for the hotel bills? The court case? Her presence in the court? The songs and dances and persuading the judge? Having to go back to the orphanage and escaping? Typical Shirley Temple character?

5. Roger as the dapper hero, relationship with Aunt Sarah, in love? Helping the show people, the four men and his uncle and giving the money, in the court case, romance and happy ending?

6. Pop and the theatre troupe, hard up, the hotel, management, Aunt Sarah and her complaints, her hold over them with the money? Pop's daughter as the heroine, love for Betsy, falling in love with Roger, clashes with Aunt Sarah? The members of the group ? musicians, playing cards, the dwarves, Jimmy Durante and his comic style? The penguin?

7. Aunt Sarah and her stuffiness, her hold over her brother, her laying down the law, clashes with Betsy and Roger, sending Betsy back to the orphanage? The court case and her change of heart? her meek brother and his being on side, with the group of singing men?

8. The judge and the running of the court case, listening to Betsy, enjoying the show?

9. A film of the 30s, post-Depression times, American optimism, the show must go on, anybody can succeed?