Starring Shirley Temple, Lionel Barrymore, Evelyn Venable, and Hattie McDaniel
Directed by David Butler
Music and Lyrics by various
This year, we celebrate a day for mothers with the story of a little girl who brings together her beloved mother and the grandfather she never knew. This was originally a popular children's book that debuted in 1895. It became the first of two southern-set vehicles for Shirley during the height of her own fame as the number one star - of any age - in the world. Nowadays, it's one of her best-known vehicles for the famous sequence with her and tap king Bill Robinson dancing on the stairs together, but in other ways, it hasn't dated well. Let's begin before Shirley's birth, at the home of Colonel Lloyd Sherman (Barrymore) and his daughter Elizabeth (Venable), and find out what caused that rift between father and daughter...
The Story: Elizabeth defies her father by marrying northerner Jack Sherman (John Lodge). Her father detests the north after the south lost the Civil War. The stubborn duo refuses to speak to each other or acknowledge each other again. Despite that, Elizabeth eventually names her only daughter, the pride of her husband's Calvary regiment, after her father (Temple). The officers dub Lloyd their "little colonel," a title she takes seriously.
Elizabeth and Lloyd are forced to move into a run-down cottage on her father's property after Jack goes west in search of gold. Her father doesn't even know about Lloyd until he catches her playing with two black children near his home and taking his flowers. He's not happy with her temper and dirty clothes at first, but the two gradually become friends. Lloyd's delighted when her father finally returns, but not that he's sick and was cheated out of his rightful share of fake gold by two swindlers. Lloyd knows it's up to her to get help when those two swindlers come after her father...and to bring her parents and grandfather together when he's the only one who can save them.
The Song and Dance: If nothing else, I do appreciate that this may be the only Shirley Temple vehicle where she has both parents and isn't adopted or an orphan. Her father is gone for a good chunk of the movie, but he does survive his ordeals. The real drama here is between father, daughter, and granddaughter. Barrymore is hilarious and adorable with Temple and perfectly stern with Venable. Hattie MacDaniel is hilarious as Elizabeth's housekeeper Rebecca, who knows how to keep an eye on mother and daughter, and Bill Robinson almost as much fun as the elder Lloyd's long-suffering valet Walker. Watch out for the last five minutes or so - it's filmed in absolutely gorgeous Technicolor.
Favorite Number: We open at the party with a dubbed Venable singing the old favorite "Love's Young Dream." Temple reprises this later, wearing the same frilly dress and huge feathered bonnet her mother did as a child. Young Lloyd gets a view of African-American ritual in the south when Rebecca and Walker take her to see workers perform "Wade In the Water" as they baptize those who have sinned.
Of course, the most famous routines from this one are Robinson and Temple dancing together. Everyone remembers them on the stairs, but they actually dance together twice. Robinson starts off on the stairs, showing Temple how to dance. She's so impressed, she wants to learn, and they tap up and down the stairs until Barrymore shows up and ends the number. Later, after her father's home, she comes to the stable to show Walker her fancy new clothes, and he teaches her more steps. They're so funny together and such scene-stealers, no wonder they'd dance together in at least two more films. (Not to mention, are pioneers in other ways - this was the first interracial dance couple in films.)
Trivia: Temple's habit of memorizing everyone's lines did not endear her to Barrymore at first, until she asked for his autograph and said he was one of her favorite actors. They really did become good friends after that and remained so until Barrymore's death in 1954. She also remained good friends with Robinson for years.
What I Don't Like: Though this movie is set after the Civil War, among free African-Americans, it portrays the black characters as perfectly happy to be servants and to take the abuse given by the whites (especially the elder male Lloyd). Temple gives orders to the two black kids who play with her and can be condescending to them as well. Venable and Lodge do well enough, and while it is refreshing to see both parents survive to the end of one of Temple's films, they're no match for Temple's cuteness, Barrymore's fire, or Robinson and MacDaniel getting some of the best lines.
The Big Finale: If you and your mother can handle the dated attitudes towards minorities and treatment of the post-Civil War south, this is one of Temple's best movies and is highly recommended.
Home Media: As one of Temple's most popular vehicles, this is easily found on DVD and streaming.
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