PodBill Just what I expected

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

TxMike I managed to catch this movie on Movies! channel. For a 1939 movie the cinematography and sound are very good.It if course stars 10-yr-old Shirley Temple who already was very experienced in movie roles. She is little Susannah Sheldon, called Sue for short. As the movie opens we see that she is the lone survivor of an Indian attack on her family's wagon. Set in the NW Territory the main male star is Randolph Scott as Canadian Mountie, Inspector Angus Montague, usually just called Monty for short. He comes upon the burned and destroyed wagon and brings little Sue to safety. The core of the story is strained relations between the white man and the Indians, during the time when cross-country railways were being built, threatening the native lands. After a meeting the local tribal chief agrees to leave collateral as a sign of his sincerity, and that collateral is his son, first-time actor Martin Good Rider, about 14, as Little Chief. After a very rocky start he and little Sue become good friends in the fort.Sue is so taken with her rescuer, Monty, that she begins to imagine herself as his long-term companion. When pretty Margaret Lockwood as Vicky Standing shows up, and Monty starts to show interest in her, little Sue begins to show signs of jealousy.In the end an incident threatens to drive the parties apart but little Sue brings forth some information that saves the day. Young Shirley Temple was indeed a fine actress and she deserves all the attention she received over the years.

classicsoncall Right out of the gate you get a surprise with this film when you see Shirley Temple's name above both Randolph Scott and Margaret Lockwood during the opening credits. I happened to catch the colorized version of this picture on Turner Classics, and it had it's good and bad points. The filming locations included some impressive scenery, but at the same time some of the long shots like those of the Indian camp looked like rear screen projection photography. It was a bit distracting in those instances.I caught this picture shortly after seeing Shirley in 1936's "Stowaway" with Robert Young, and the three year difference in her age is noteworthy. In "Stowaway" she was just about at the height of her popularity; as the older Susannah Sheldon here some of the charm seems to have worn off of her persona. Not that she doesn't have an affecting screen presence, but the more 'mature' aspect of her character requires a bit more workmanship and the situations she finds herself in are more adult like.I take political correctness in stride but I wonder how modern day viewers watch a movie like this today. There's plenty to get worked up about if one's a feminist or sensitive about racial intolerance. Susannah berates Mountie Pat O'Hannegan for doing a womanly chore like sewing a button on his uniform, while Shirley's opposite Little Chief (Martin Good Rider) scolds her for walking or riding ahead of him, he being a male and she being a mere squaw. I liked the way Little Chief ironed things out later in the story with 'Little Golden Hawk' by making her his 'blood brother'.For a Shirley Temple picture, there's not much in the way of song or dance, though she does manage to teach Inspector Angus Montague (Scott) how to waltz so he can effectively romance Miss Vicky Standing (Lockwood). I'd have to say I was impressed with the actress's wardrobe throughout the story, in color her gowns and dresses were quite fashionable.In terms of adventure, the movie did have it's share of cowboy, in this case Mountie versus Indian action, some of it quite vicious from a family viewing standpoint. I was going to have my young granddaughter watch this with me until I previewed it; I think I'll wait a while on that idea. But the resolution of the story is done effectively, with 'Little Golden Hawk' standing her ground with Blackfoot Chief Big Eagle to save Mountie Monty's hide and uncover the treachery of renegade Indian Wolf Pelt (Victor Jory). The closing scene of Shirley smoking the peace pipe is a well placed subliminal message to young viewers of all eras to refrain from smoking altogether.

gkeith_1 Shirley was racist in downtalking to Little Chief, and about how Native Americans had to learn to behave, er Indians. I realize that that was the patois of the day. It is no longer correct to talk down to people of other backgrounds.Scott had just saved her life, and she had the nerve to berate the older gentleman, Scott's friend, for making her clothes because she said sewing was for women. He made her a beautiful outfit.Scott was good looking, and very gentle with Shirley and the others. He seemed to be very patient with everyone.I am giving this movie as high as an eight, because I usually like Shirley movies. This one I am rating lower just because of the racism and some of the dialogue. In some other Shirley movies, she is always very nice to the African American characters.Shirley, RIP. I still love you, anyway. I loved The Little Princess and even The Blue Bird.Eight out of ten.Annie Middle of Ohio

Harpo-10 This is one of my favorite Shirley Temple films. She as always is captivating. The story line is interesting, and the characters believable. I would recommend this to any family to watch.