Perhaps I've outgrown the Shirley Temple cult, and while a few of her films are among my favorites, the majority I don't feel a need to see again. This is one of the later, decent enough but presenting a stereotypically sugar sweet little girl (you know who) once again dealing with a cold society (mean, mean, mean truant officer Sarah Haden) who first tries to find a way of preventing Shirley from advancing to the third grade (without the benefit of any formal education), to taking her away from her legal guardian (Guy Kibbee) because she finds Shirley, Kibbee and all of his ilk (which includes pal Slim Summerville and dancer Buddy Ebsen) "hooligans".
Ebsen is involved with pretty schoolteacher June Lang who is at the beck and call of the domineering Haden, a real tyrant furious that Temple does better on an entry exam than her bratty nephew. Kibbee has a female admirer in the widowed Jane Darwell who is obviously looking to change her name one more time. There's some cute musical numbers including one where Kibbee is in old fashioned baby clothes and the Temple classic "The Cod Fish Ball".
The mix of humor and pathos makes for a weepy and often funny film, and i prefer moments where Shirley gets to be a little naughty. Kibbee of course is a great character actor, and Haden is as far from the loveable aunt of Andy Hardy, but her character is a total harridan without any dimension. Still, she's good at making the viewer hate her, and slapstick and jokes at her expense does lighten up the moments when she's on screen. Shirley is, well, Shirley. The basset hound lookalike Summerville is more serious than normal, and gives a heartfelt performance. You know all will turn out fine, but the tension does make for some good drama.
Ebsen is involved with pretty schoolteacher June Lang who is at the beck and call of the domineering Haden, a real tyrant furious that Temple does better on an entry exam than her bratty nephew. Kibbee has a female admirer in the widowed Jane Darwell who is obviously looking to change her name one more time. There's some cute musical numbers including one where Kibbee is in old fashioned baby clothes and the Temple classic "The Cod Fish Ball".
The mix of humor and pathos makes for a weepy and often funny film, and i prefer moments where Shirley gets to be a little naughty. Kibbee of course is a great character actor, and Haden is as far from the loveable aunt of Andy Hardy, but her character is a total harridan without any dimension. Still, she's good at making the viewer hate her, and slapstick and jokes at her expense does lighten up the moments when she's on screen. Shirley is, well, Shirley. The basset hound lookalike Summerville is more serious than normal, and gives a heartfelt performance. You know all will turn out fine, but the tension does make for some good drama.