Linkshoch Wonderful Movie

Inmechon The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

JohnHowardReid Copyright 18 March 1938 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Roxy: 25 March 1938. U.S. release: 18 March 1938. Australian release: 1 September 1938. 7,289 feet. 81 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Shirley wows the producer and sponsor at a radio station in an audition for "Little Miss America". Unfortunately, due to a series of bungles, the producer loses contact with her. In the midst of a frantic search, he retires to his farm for a rest. Next door, would you believe, is Shirley herself! And this all happens just in the first two reels!NOTES: Third re-make of the Kate Douglas Wiggin novel, a 1903 million-copy bestseller. In the novel, the play and the previous films, Rebecca is a young lady, not a little girl, who comes from a rustic Sunnybrook farm to stay with a couple of rich relatives in the big city, where she gets into a number of genteel romantic scrapes. She does not sing, nor of course does she audition for the radio (which did not even commence in the United States until 1919).In the movie, Miss Temple is supposedly playing an eight-year-old. She was actually ten at the time — and her comparative maturity is showing. Although Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm earned big money, it was not enough to position the movie amongst the top twenty of the nation's money-makers. In fact her career as the world's top movie star was now over. True, she did hold her place as the number one money-making star of 1938, but in 1939 she slipped to fifth position; from there on, she disappears from the list forever. Not until 1944 did she make a movie that placed among America's champion box-office attractions, namely "Since You Went Away". Still it was a phenomenal career while it lasted and she did have no less than four adolescent triumphs, including Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), Fort Apache (1948), and Mr Belvedere Goes To College (1949), which brought her almost back to the pinnacle of her previous successes.COMMENT: Plenty of merriment and song in this one which is — despite its poor reputation — amongst Miss Temple's most entertaining. In fact, it's not at all the sentimental tosh the Wiggin novel promises to be — the result of ditching the original story-line almost completely. What we actually get is a mild satire on radio, with plenty of amusing lines delivered by gifted character actors with a talent for tomfoolery, such as Jack Haley, Slim Summerville, William Demarest and the wonderfully acidic Helen Westley. Little Miss Shirley herself can banter quips with the best of them. She's in fine voice too, singing some originals and reprising some of her catchiest from Poor Little Rich Girl including an imitation "Military Man" climactic number with Bill Robinson. (Her original partner, Jack Haley doesn't dance so much as a single step in this one, though he does get to join the lovely Phyllis Brooks in a song). Nice to see Randy Scott in such good form too (love him falling into the well). Miss Stuart makes an attractive heroine.Some of our favorite character players shine brightly in this one too, including Franklin Pangborn, Paul Hurst and Dixie Dunbar. Dwan's direction is pacily slick. Other credits are equally smooth. Sound recording as usual with Fox, is a delight.ANOTHER VIEW: Suggested by the book, read the credits. In my view, contemporary critics were unkind to attack the film because it was unfaithful to the book. True, the script does have an odd habit of introducing plot elements which it fails to milk for suspense by resolving them too quickly, but I think the film delightful entertainment. Shirley gets a chance to sing a large bracket of catchy songs, including a reprise of all her favorites such as "The Good Ship Lollipop" and "Animal Crackers In My Soup". There is a fine support cast, — including Helen Westley at her most delightfully daffy, — stylish direction and first-class production values. What more do you want? - JHR writing as George Addison.

weezeralfalfa This was the third film adaptation of the popular 1902 book of the same title, with Mary Pickford starring in the early silent version. True, the plot retains few accurate details from the book, in which Rebecca came from a destitute farm family, rather than being transferred to one.I don't remember the particulars of many of Shirley's films. However, this has to be one of the most entertaining, with a great cast of supporting actors, as was usually the case in her best films, and with the occasional slapstick incident. As usual, she's cast as an orphan, who has to grudgingly put up with some troublesome people, but balanced by some people who treat her with a measure of respect and love. As usual, Shirley seems like a hybrid between a cute little lost girl and a pint-sized adult, who mostly(exclusively here) interacts with adults, rather than children, often helping them solve some personal crisis. She insists on being treated as an adult, as highlighted in a scene with Scott, who agrees to treat her as such, in contrast to her quarreling relatives to treat her as a child, to be molded as they wish. In consequence, Rebecca proposes marriage to Scott(Tony) in the future, but then suggests her new friend Gwen as a more realistic choice in the near future.The most troublesome people Shirley has to deal with include bossy, contrary, old Aunt Miranda, who owns the farm where Shirley is 'dumped' by her stepparents(played by Bill Demarest and Ruth Gillette), who find her a financial burden after she mistakenly is labeled a poor singer in a radio contest. But, after Shirley suddenly becomes an overnight radio sensation, they suddenly demand that she be returned to them. Ruth plays her role as an obnoxious brassy gold digger very well. Being as how Aunt Miranda melts a bit toward the end, toning down her disapproval of Rebecca taking part in radio contests and refusing to speak to long time acquaintance Homer(Slim Summerville), Melba is the only thoroughly evil character in the film. Demarest was quite a good light comedian, actually outshining Summerville, who was also a noted comedian. We also have Jack Haley, with both comedic and musical talent. He sings a back and forth memorable duet to the catchy "Alone with You" with his romantic interest: sexy blond Phyllis Brooks, as Lola, who preferred leading man Scott, as clearly evidenced during this song(the film highlight?). Phyllis also sang a solo early in the film, though not as catchy a tune. Although not billed as a singer, she had a fine singing voice and sexy mode of delivery. Her character(as suggested by her name) comes across as not as wholesome as Gwen: presumably why Scott tries to drop her as soon as he meets Gwen. ....Of course, a few years later, Haley would gain a measure of fame, playing The Tin Man, in "The Wizard of Oz". Given his good looks and talents, it's a wonder he didn't have a more prominent Hollywood career....Bo Jangles Bill Robinson is also on hand as Miranda's gardener, primarily. He and Shirley end the film starring in a costumed dance production, rather resembling the one that ended the prior "Poor Little Rich Girl"This was Scott's first Shirley Temple film. He would return with her, again as the leading man, in the lackluster '39 "Suzanna of the Mounties": one of the series of mostly box-office flops during the last few years of Shirley's association with Fox studios. Actually, Shirley had played a small role, way back in the 1933 Scott-starring western "To the Last Man". During the '30s, before he was mostly typecast as a stone-faced cowboy, Scott divided his time between westerns or other frontier-type films, and parlor films, where he was sometimes allowed to exhibit some comedic talent, as in the present film. For example, he was also a significant non-musical costar in two Astaire & Ginger musicals.Helen Westley returned for her 4th and final appearance in a Shirley Temple film, in her typecast domineering contrary family matron role. Actually, in the Astaire & Ginger film "Roberta", she was quite pleasant to Scott, in contrast to this film. She had quite a prominent stage and film career.Shirley gets to sing several new songs, as well as a medley of some of her best remembered songs from previous films. Her most memorable new song is "An Old Straw Hat", which she sings initially outside at the farm, then again in the house, where she is heard by visiting Scott and Haley, who then recognize her as the girl they are seeking, who was mistakenly dismissed on their radio show as a poor singer(quite a contrived coincidence!). On the radio program she sings "Come and Get Your Happiness", initially alone, then with a sizable backup chorus. This is followed by her medley, including "On the Good Ship Lollipop" and "Animal Crackers in My Soup".One of the many reasons I especially like this film is that, in contrast to her other films, where she has curly hair, here, once she gets to the farm, her hair-style is changed by Aunt Matilda to pigtails. She definitely looks more 'sexy' with pigtails! Notice that, in the last portion of the film, after she is forced to temporarily move back with Uncle Henry and Melba, her pigtails are replaced by curls.

lpnarnialover09 If you have never read or even know the original story of " Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm" then you will enjoy this movie if however you read the book, you might want to avoid this movie if you are expecting a faithful adaptation this is not it .While I don't particularly hate this particular Shirley Temple movie based on a classic children's book I would only recommend it to die hard Shirley fans . I would not recommend it to anyone who wants to see a faithful adaptation of a wonderful book I would recommend the Mary Pickford version first and I also just found out they made a 1932 version except I don't know if it's even available on DVD or VHS

Neil Doyle REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM owes whatever charm it has to its leading lady (SHIRLEY TEMPLE was still the number one box-office attraction in America) and a modest but pleasing supporting cast. However, it's obvious that nobody paid much attention to the original story and what we're left with is a rather threadbare story mixing Shirley with her show biz talent background. And along the way, Bill Robinson gets lost in the shuffle of background characters, with only William Demarest enlivening the proceedings with his pratfalls and Helen Westley with her grumpy old maid. Edna May Oliver must have been busy.Aside from the star, GLORIA STUART does nicely as a leading lady for RANDOLPH SCOTT--the two make a handsome pair. Stuart never got her big break in these sort of films but was certainly a stunning blonde in her day with very fine features. Scott seems a little standoffish, not cast in his regular western mode, perhaps even a little uncomfortable in his scenes with Shirley.Shirley has a change of hairdo (away with all those curls) but just to make sure her audience won't pine for the good old days, she delivers some of her old song numbers with customary ease. It has to be noted, though, that her singing voice (although on key) was always very slight indeed. She fares much better in the few tap routines she does, always with that big smile and cheery presence.Not one of the best Temple films, but OK. Franklin Pangborn is fun as a nervous stand-in who gets his big chance and blows it.