As Shirley Temple started to grow from a little tot to a young girl, Hollywood didn't really know what to do with her. Instead of playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (which she wanted to do), she was given the consolation prizes of The Blue Bird and Susannah of the Mounties. She does still get to wear a party dress when preparing to go to a hoe-down, but she's definitely a tomboy in this movie.
This isn't Shirley's best, mainly because her character was no longer written as an endearing child. She's a bratty adolescent who gets into trouble, bickers with boys, and even smokes a peace pipe (which I think is highly inappropriate). As her hormones threaten to kick in, she does develop the good taste to have a crush on Randolph Scott (even with his mustache). Still, her crush leads her to jealousy when he likes someone closer to his age.
But the one scene in the movie that redeems everything else is the dance scene. Randolph Scott teaches Shirley how to dance, and she sings "I'll Teach You a Waltz". Since he's so tall, rather than stoop over to reach her hands, he crouches down and comically steps his long legs like a grasshopper. It's so cute! Every time I hear that popular old-west tune, I always think of Randolph Scott. Besides that scene, this movie only serves one real purpose: to prepare audiences for her growing up.
This isn't Shirley's best, mainly because her character was no longer written as an endearing child. She's a bratty adolescent who gets into trouble, bickers with boys, and even smokes a peace pipe (which I think is highly inappropriate). As her hormones threaten to kick in, she does develop the good taste to have a crush on Randolph Scott (even with his mustache). Still, her crush leads her to jealousy when he likes someone closer to his age.
But the one scene in the movie that redeems everything else is the dance scene. Randolph Scott teaches Shirley how to dance, and she sings "I'll Teach You a Waltz". Since he's so tall, rather than stoop over to reach her hands, he crouches down and comically steps his long legs like a grasshopper. It's so cute! Every time I hear that popular old-west tune, I always think of Randolph Scott. Besides that scene, this movie only serves one real purpose: to prepare audiences for her growing up.