Shirley Temple in "Heidi" - A Wonderful and Beloved Film

Even for those who are not special fans of the 1930s or of Shirley Temple there are two films that most people know: Heidi and The Little Princess. These films are based on classic children’s book. Although new films were made of these stories (Heidi several times), none have ever surpassed the Shirley Temple films – either in production or in acting.

Heidi is a favorite of many people. Made in 1937, it also starred actor Jean Hersholt, whose name is attached to the Humanitarian Award given yearly by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. Mr. Hersholt, who plays Shirley’s grandfather, is an amazing actor and there is never a moment we don’t believe him. We are frightened by him, in awe of him and, later in the film, feel his desperation as he searches for his beloved granddaughter, Heidi.

In 1937, Shirley had an autograph book which she asked her co-stars and visitors to write in. These autograph books recently came to light in the Love, Shirley Temple Exhibit by Theriaut’s which will action them off on July 14^th. About his experience of working with Shirley in Heidi, Jean Hersholt wrote:

“I have been in pictures for almost 32 years and “Heidi” is my 436^th film, so when I tell you that you are the finest little actress, the grandest trooper I have ever worked with, you must realize that I know what I’m talking about…”

Heidi was written by Johanna Spyri of Switzerland and published in 1880. It was said to be the first good, well-written book for children written in German, however, it would be many years before it became well-known and loved as it is.

The little boots Shirley
wore in Heidi

The film opens with Heidi (Shirley Temple) and Aunt Dee Dee hiking through a small town in the Swiss Alps. Heidi’s Aunt Dee Dee has forced her to  wear all the clothes she owns, rather than carrying them for the trip. Eventually, she gets too hot and begins to peel away the layers of skirts and vests.

To the Left, the costume Heidi wears
when climbing the mountain
Right, the final costume of the film.

We soon learn that Heidi is an orphan. Her mother’s sister, Aunt Dee Dee, has takenc are of her for many years, but now, with the offer of a fine job, she’s taking the little girl to live with her grandfather, a hermit who lives in the Alps above the town of Dorfli. Grandfather had much bitterness over his son, (Heidi’s father) and the towns’ people, he separated himself from them by moving to the mountain. Now, the town’s people are afraid of him.

In the film, Shirley/Heidi presents her usual cheerful self with the innocence of a

child. But if you watch the film carefully, she is somewhat different. She has taken on the character of Heidi and we never for a moment believe that she is not that little girl. Even the cadence of her speech has changed somewhat.

Heidi is not blind to the rumors about her grandfather. She seems strong and able to take care of herself, but when she seems him sharpening a knife, she puts her hand to her throat, closes her eyes and prepares to die!

Jean Hersholt as the grandfather is amazing. With his stout figure, huge mop of hair with beard and burning eyes, we are in awe of him. Indeed, he is the man that the villagers are afraid of, he is the grandfather!

As time goes on, we see that this gruff man is amazed by the little granddaughter who has come to live with him. He watches her making her way, and he’s glad to have a companion. Although few words are spoken, a deep relationship grows. The grandfather makes Heidi a bed, a chair and teaches her to milk the goats Swanli and Bearli. Intertwined with this is the happy little tune, which Heidi often hums as she goes about her way. It represents the light and joy she brings into a home where there was only bitterness. She, it seems, is blind to the grandfather’s non-welcoming attitude. In the end, he reads the Bible to her and begins to attend church and becomes welcoming of the villagers.

Originally only seen in black and white
on film, seeing the color and detail
of the little dutch girl is amazing.

Lovely dream sequence minuet costume.

It should also be noted that in this film, there is a dream sequence which includes the story of magic wooden shoes. Here, for the first time, we see Shirley Temple in other than 56 golden curls. She wears a blond wig with braids and she is no less beautiful. She also appears in a minuet, wearing period clothing and wig from the 1700s.

L. The hat and coat Hedi wears when
arriving at Herr Sessman's.
R. Heidi's Christmas Dress

It is during this happy time that Aunt Dee Dee comes and steals Heidi away. Each scene in this film follows with such care, never lingering too long, but filling you with emotion so that you cannot help but continue to watch. Heidi, of course, does not want to leave. She loves the grandfather and, as she later says, knows that he needs her. Dee Dee has no care for what Heidi wants. She is bringing her to the home of Herr Seseman to be a companion for the crippled wealthy girl, Klara. Dee Dee, of course, will get money for her efforts.

Throughout this time, Heidi is lied to about being able to return to the grandfather. She and Klara become friends, but the governess, Fraulein Rottenmeier is not at all pleased. She likes the household as it is – another words where Klara is ill and she is in charge. At one point, Heidi lets an organ grinder’s monkey in, which leads to a hilarious sequence of events with the monkey jumping on Fraulein Rottenmeier’s back and she and the butler (played by the wonderful Arthur Treacher) sliding across the floor on their backs.

The hat Heidi wears, which butler Arthur Treacher
refers to as "That extraordinary hat."
It appears just as it did in the film, worn.

Beautiful coat, hat and
books Heidi wears to the
theater on Christmas Night.

Meanwhile, Heidi encourages Klara to learn to walk again. With the kind of positive attitude we find in most Shirley Temple films, Shirley/Heidi tells Klara, played wonderfully by Marcia Mae Jones, that she didn’t think she could learn to read but Goat Peter said she could if she wanted to and she did, so if Klara wants to walk again, maybe she can too. In the end, thanks to Heidi, Klara does walk.

There are many notable scenes in the film.
There is the lovely scene where Heidi sees a Christmas tree for the first time and touches the tree ball with great wonder, then returns to the piano to sing “Silent Night,” with wonder and love in her eyes. That night, the grandfather has finally reached the city where Heidi is living. There are many close calls when Herr Sesemann takes the girls out for a Christmas show and the grandfather calls her name. Later that night, Fraulein Rottenmeir tells Heidi she is taking her home and tries to sell her to the gypsies in revenge for having lost her position. The scene in the police station between Heidi, the grandfather and Fraulein Rottenmeir is a powerhouse of acting.

One must simply watch this film. It’s fascinating because of the location and all the varied characters, and in the end, it’s a triumph of love. There is nothing more beautiful than the last moments of this film as Shirley prays,

“And please God, make every little boy and girl in the world as happy as I am today.”

 

You won’t see a film like this now.















Visit the Love, Shirley Temple on
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Auction, July 14th, 2015

Shirley Temple in The Little Colonel - A Historic Film Against Prejudice

According to “The Films of Shirley Temple”, after “Bright Eyes,” the studio, seeing that they had a fine, if pint-sized actress on their hands, decided to make a much grander picture, a period picture with two fine actors. Lionel Barrymore from the legendary Barrymore family was cast as her grandfather, and the wonderful Hattie McDaniel, who only four years later would be cast in “Gone with the Wind” and become the first African-American to win an Academy Award, was cast as the family’s longtime servant/cook, Mom Beck.

The film takes place in the South, just after the end of the Civil War. Lionel Barrymore /Colonel Lloyd is a staunch veteran Confederate still living in his grand plantation home with some of his former slaves. He hates the North and anything to do with Yankees. Meanwhile, his daughter, the beautiful Elizabeth Lloyd played by Evelyn Brent, has fallen in love with a Yankee. Knowing that her father will never give his consent, Elizabeth, with the help of Mom Beck, plans to elope with the man she loves. The Colonel catches her leaving and is tempted to shoot the man she loves dead. Instead, he declares that if she leaves the house to marry this man, she will be dead to him. She does leave and the result, of course, is Shirley Temple/Lloyd Sherman – a name that truly combines north and south.

The Little Colonel, old as it might seem, certainly shows the history of where we are today – the great divide between northern and southern values; the divide between the tradition of slavery and prejudice versus equality--seeing people for who they are, not for the color of their skin or heritage.

In the film, Jack Sherman has been living with his wife and child in a northern army camp. After six years, he is ready to leave with an opportunity to find a living in western lands. There are two fellows who sell him some land, promising wealth, but, unbeknownst to him, they are nothing more than con-artists. While Jack attempt to find a way to support his wife and child, Elizabeth and little Lloyd (now called “the Little Colonel” by everyone), return to the small cottage in the South which Elizabeth’s mother who passed on at an early age, left her. It is here that the story really begins.

Shirley is darling in this role, sweet to her mother and a bit mischevious with Mom Bec, but we love every minute of it. She also has much shorter, blonder curls in this film, which gives her a slightly different look. But as sweet as she is, the Little Colonel has one flaw of character, one that she apparently inherited from her Confederate grandfather – she has a terrible temper. We soon see this temper exhibited when she meets her grandfather for the first time.

The second time she meets her grandfather, he takes her home to dry her clothes. The servants dress her in one of her mother’s old fashioned dresses with a lovely bonnet and she appears to sing a song her grandmother wrote. Grandfather, who has never stopped loving his deceased wife, is truly touched and offers to play a game with her. They play chess, with soldiers representing north and south. The result is a huge fight during which Shirley/Lloyd finally, in anger, knocks the table over. Throughout these scenes, as unpleasant as “grandfather” tries to be with this moppet, we see his heart
melted by her. She, in turn, with all flaws and bad temper melts as quickly to sweetness. Temple and Barrymore are a wonderful pair.

When the Little Colonel’s father finally returns, his is sick and, having been swindled by the pair of con-artists, has lost all his money. Because Papa Jack’s illness is deemed contagious, it is thought best that little Lloyd be sent to her grandfather’s for safety. It is at grandfather’s house that two things happen. When grandfather complains about her appearance she says, “My mother loves me even if my clothes are old and ugly.” In that, we learn that true love, love of a person that is not about appearance, is the most important thing.

Then, another event takes place, the first onscreen dance between Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson. Now Bill Robinson was said to be the best tap dancer in the world, but being a person of color, there wasn’t much work in film. It was necessary for black people to play servants, but it must be said that he plays “Walker” with great style and pizazz! The friendship that developed between Bill Robinson and Shirley Temple was a true friendship that would last until his death in 1949. While others might have seen a grown man and a little girl, an African-American man and a little white girl, these two saw one another for what they were – two happy people who loved life and loved to dance. Shirley later spoke of her “Uncle Billy” as kind of soulmate.

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Shirley Temple in the famous stair dance.

In the film, grandfather tells “Walker”/Bill Robinson to take Lloyd up to bed. She’s not used to a big house and misses her mother, so she says to him, “I don’t want to go up there.” When Walker offers her a new way of going upstairs, she’s curious. This offers Bill Robinson the chance to perform his famous stair dance on film. He also taught it to Shirley. Shirley’s stand-in, Marilyn Granas, said recently that the first time the pair performed and filmed this scene there was absolute silence on the set as people watched this tiny girl and veteran dancer go up the stairs. Little Shirley made not one mistake. It was perfect the first time and they were all amazed. At that moment magic was born.

This scene is now considered historic as the first time an inter-racial couple held hands on film. In

Shoes and hat worn for second dance. Location of dress
which appears on front cover of DVD is unknown.

fact, in the south, the film of the pair holding hands was cut out in the 1930s, being considered too controversial. We have come a long way, but obviously not far enough. Shirley and Bill might have been astounded at the time to hear this billed as historic. They were two people who liked one another, two artists who admired one another and they played their parts in a way that says “humanity,” not color divide. It should be noted that white people were not the only ones to make derisive comments about a little white girl and a black man being friends. Bill Robinson’s own friends of color often commented on the relationship, looking askance on his friendship with Shirley, ‘the famous little white girl.’

As “The Little Colonel” moves forward, we see the price of prejudice more sharply. The men whom Lloyd/Shirley term as “those bad men” (and who probably pass as okay because they are white) return to try to rob “Papa Jack” again. Mom Beck, who has gone to town on business and returns, unwittingly falls into their hands. The Little Colonel, seeing that her father is in danger, runs through a frightening dark forest to get her grandfather to come and save her father. When he refuses on the basis of her father being a Yankee (he still will not speak to her mother), she gives the most heartrending performance in a few words and leaves him. It brings tears to the eyes just to think of those moments on film.

Beautiful dress, rarely seen, filmed in color
for The Little Colonel's final scene.

In the end, of course, grandfather comes to his senses. He takes Lloyd back to the house and uses his gun and his toughness to save Shirley/Lloyd’s parents from robbery and possible death. He also reunites with his daughter, welcoming his son-in-law into the family. Of course, looking back many may want to theorize about this film, but all these events took place on simple terms though the eyes of the child, which is the way I, and many others watched and came to love Shirley Temple films. Either you have love in your heart or you don't.

Now, all the years The Little Colonel was shown on film, it ended with Hattie McDaniel/Mom Beck, hitting the door of the closet she’s locked in with her backside until the door finally comes down. It was only recently that this writer learned that this was not the final scene at all. It appears 20^th Century Fox, knowing what a big star little Shirley was and would be, and considering this a very lavish film, decided to test a new color process on the final scene. No doubt, this color film at the time was also quite expensive. In later years, when the film was shown on television and put on VHS, no one knew what to do with the color film so it was left off.

Perhaps one reason this came to light was the fact that Shirley Temple’s costumes – which were kept, first by Shirley’s mother and then by Shirley herself-- are about to be auctioned [see Love, Shirley Temple] and the gorgeous final outfit, a true treasure is among them. This auction will take place on July 14^th in Kansas City and online.

Theriaults - Love, Shirley Temple Auction

Shirley Temple in "Curly Top" - A Favorite

When I was growing up, “Curly Top” was my favorite film. I loved the little girl Shirley Temple was

in this film, the style, the music and all the wonderful clothes. I also loved her co-stars, John Boles, Rochelle Hudson and the unforgettable Arthur Treacher. “Curly Top” was the first Shirley Temple film I saw after recovering for an operation that nearly took my life. No matter how childish it may be, it will always be a favorite of mine.

By the time “Curly Top” was made, America was already fascinated by Shirley Temple and her 56 golden curls. People knew and loved her, and soon the entire world would follow. Although one might wonder about the title of this film now, in 1935 there was no doubt as to what it was about, and people flocked to movie theaters to see it.

In “Curly Top,” Shirley plays an orphan living in the private but strict Lakeside Orphanage. She has an older sister, Mary, who must be 16-18 years old. Played by the lovely dark haired and blue eyed Rochelle Hudson, Shirley’s movie sister is an aspiring songwriter. Soon after the film begins, we learn that the girls’ parents were show people who were killed in a car crash. Besides the two girls, they also left behind a trained pony and duck, who also live at the orphanage. Funny that may sound, it all works together quite well in the film.

The film begins on a cold, rainy night as the orphan girls are led up a rather grand staircase to their dormitory, a large room with a long line of beds. In the first scene, we see a variety of little girls in long, white flannel nightgowns saying their prayers. It isn’t long after the matron turns off the light that we meet Shirley, whose name in the film is Elizabeth Blair.

Now, Shirley or Elizabeth’s pony is standing out in the freezing rain, and the little girl is worried about him. She’s a very determined little girl, who breaks the rules to get her beloved “Spunky” inside. “Spunky” was actually Shirley’s pony in real life. He was given to her by Joseph Schenek, and brought over from England on the Queen Mary which docked in New York. Worried that her pony would be frightened if they sent him cross-country on a plane – he would have been the first horse transported by air, Shirley insisted that they put him on a train. When she met him at the station with a lei, because she thought he’d been so brave to travel that far, she named him “Spunky.” This same name was used for him in the film.

Shirley’s character in Curly Top is constantly in trouble. She sings when she’s not supposed to, has her pony sleeping in a bed in the dormitory and imitates her elders, but through it all we are charmed. When told that her pony and her duck will be sent away because of her behavior, she begs her sister not to let that happen. Mary’s only response is that she must not cry in front of Spunky so he won’t be afraid when he has to go away. One cannot help but wonder what would have happened had the wealthy Mr. Morgan in the form of John Boles not appeared to rescue her.

Shirley's dress on
right and doll with
matching costume

Elizabeth and Mary
arrive at their new home.

In real life, things do not always work out this well, but Shirley’s joy in the

picture seems to bring only good things to her. She is adopted by the wealthy Mr. Boles and goes to live in a beautiful home by the ocean. She has beautiful clothes and all the playthings she can dream of, but along with her happiness and thankfulness is her concern about her friends back at the orphanage. As a result, she puts on a benefit to raise money to buy play things for her old friends. And in the midst of it” all, she plays matchmaker for her sister.

Though “Curly Top” may not have as much deep meaning as “Bright Eyes,” what it does have are wonderful musical numbers. It is difficult to imagine that children now would be as fascinated with “Animal Crackers” as I was when I first saw the film, but Shirley’s performance makes it fascinating. She is the little girl in overalls who sings, standing on a chair while the other children move back and forth and tap the table and glasses with their forks. She skips down the aisle and sings about the grocer with his big mustache and our eyes never leave her for a moment.

Later, Shirley sings about “When I Grow Up” and we believe her when she says “you can call me up and I’ll come down when I grow up.” She plays herself at sweet 16, at 21 getting married and as an old lady who plans to sit in her rocker all day. Then she jumps in in her old lady dress, wig and spectacles and taps like mad. Following this, she comes out with a jump rope does an amazing tap dance while she jumps rope.

1 of 2 Beautiful Pajamas
in Curly Top

There are charming scenes between her and Mr. Edward Morgan aka John Boles, beautiful costumes such as her satin pajamas. And finally, there is the moment when Mr. Morgan lifts her onto the baby grand white piano and sings “Curly Top.” It is the culmination of childhood romance when Shirley jumps up in her beautiful dress and dances on that baby grand.

A short time later, this little girl innocently—as children do—blurts out some information that leads Mary to run out of the room and “Uncle Edward” to follow her. It all ends charmingly and perfect the way fairytales do and children’s films should.

Shirley Temple's Curly Top Dress
Outfits which appear white in
black and white films
were usually a pastel color.

“Curly Top” is glowing and uplifting, charming and funny. Notable in the cast is Arthur Treacher who plays the butler with great style. The script is also witty. Somehow, though others may, I can’t see this film as dated. To me, it is perfect, perhaps a perfect capsule in time. It fascinates and sweeps you along, and when it ends, rather than feeling drained and empty as many of the films now leave you, one feels whole, rested and happy, with a brighter view of life. It’s not too late to get that DVD or download of the film and watch it! You’ll feel better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_LLPYo7Ykc

Clip for "Curly Top" above.

Note: On July 14th, 2015, Theriault's will auction off Shirley Temple's costumes in Curly Top and all her other films. What will happen to them? Will they end up in a museum where they can be seen by everyone?

Bright Eyes, 1934 - A Meaningful Film

 

Bright Eyes, as introduced by Robert Osbourne on Turner Classic Movies, is said to be film which catapulted Shirley Temple into “super-stardom,” a phrase not invented in 1934. Prior to this time, Shirley had appeared in a number of children’s shorts, bit parts and what might be called “B” movies, but this was her true shining moment for an entire film and she carried.

By the time “Bright Eyes” was made, Shirley had her 56 curls firmly in place. Still a small child, she was no longer a baby and to watch this film after “Little Miss Marker” and “Now and Forever,” which preceded it on Turner Classic Movies is amazing. Indeed, she does sparkle.

The question this blog, begun on another site, was created to answer was the question as to whether Shirley Temple’s films have meaning, and if so, are they relevant today. A close friend of mine last night, upon seeing “Little Miss Marker,” declared it to be dated. Well, in the long run everything is dated. History, last year, ten years ago, 50 years ago and 200 years ago is dated, but what is human and meaningful is not.

In “Bright Eyes,” Shirley is a little girl living in a wealthy home. Her mother works there as a maid

because her father, a pilot (then in the early days of flight) crashed his plane and died. Shirley’s sweetness is juxtaposed by the wealthy family’s daughter, Joy – a name quite funny because this little girl, played amazingly by Jane Withers, is anything but a joy!

Shirley's opening costume

In Shirley’s opening scene, we find her hitchhiking along a dusty California highway. To our eyes today, that is shocking. No child would be considered safe along a highway because of the cars let along predators, but there is this tiny girl walking determined to the airport where her father’s best friend and her godfather, “Loop,” played by one of Shirley’s best co-stars ever, James Dunn, works.

When Shirley arrives, she goes to the cabin or room where all the pilots hang out when not flying. There she dusts her daddy’s photo on the wall,getting dust all over her face. Then Loop takes out an old scrapbook. One of the photos in the book is of a young, attractive woman. When Shirley asks who she is, Loop turns away as Shirley says,

“She’s a pretty lady, isn’t she?”

“It’s not enough to be pretty out here,” says Loop, circling Shirley’s face. “You have to be pretty in here too.”

Loop points to her heart.

"How can anyone be pretty in there?" Shirley wonders.  

In that question lies the theme of the entire film. In "Bright Eyes," the wealthy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Smythe (pronoucing their name that way instead of Smith because they think it "looks" better) dress attractively and have a beautiful home, but their attitude and treatment of others is cold and mean. Their actions and attitudes are played out in full through daughter, Joy, but they seem blind to it.

Then, there is their Uncle, who pronounces his name “Smith.” He’s in a wheelchair and needs help, so he lives with them. He’s a very wealthy man – which is why they want him to live with them, hoping he'll leave his fortune to them when he dies. Uncle S is very unpleasant; he's a miserable old man, but at the same time he is the one whose heart is warmed by Shirley. When Joy tells Shirley there is no Santa Clause, she asks Mr. Smythe if there is. His replay is,,

“What did she say?” (of Joy)

“She says there isn’t,” says Shirley.

“Well, then there is,” says Mr. S.

It turns out that the Smyth’s New York cousin who comes to visit is the same “pretty lady” in Loop’s scrapbook. They had been close to marriage when she either spurned him or showed she didn’t have the values he did. She was rich and he was not. Now, fate brings them in contact again. The question with her as with each person is whether they will choose kindness and love or the superficial appearance, money and power. Although Shirley is beautiful, her innocent sweetness and kindness shine through with a glowing light.

During the film, Shirley loses her mother and becomes an orphan at the mercy of those around her. Some like the Smythes would like to use her to look good and to keep in the Uncle’s good graces, while others really care about this little girl whose lost both her parents and needs love. Loop cares. He will risk his life flying cross-country in a dangerous storm so he can earn enough money to get a lawyer and gain custody of Shirley.

The script by William Conselman is beautifully written. It is perfectly director by David Butler with a

Shirley Temple's "Good Ship Lollipop" dress

wonderful relation of close-ups and distant shots. Learning that the film was made in only three weeks is quite amazing. Of course, with one-take Temple on board, they couldn’t miss. The actors are all perfectly cast, and one cannot mention this film without noting the wonderful “On the Good Ship Lollipop” written by Sidney Clare and Richard Whiting, who was inspired by his daughter, future singer, Margaret Whiting, Shirley sings this song first on the taxiing airplane and later in the midst of a storm. At every point she is utterly charming and believable, and America and the world took her to their hearts.

In summing up, this is a great Shirley Temple film, but not simply because Shirley was a cute or talented kid. The film has a meaning about goodness, kindness and love which radiates from Shirley’s every moment on the screen. The filmmaker doesn’t try overly hard to show it, it just happens.

Of note: Rags the little dog in this film is played by Terry, four years later to become known to the world as “Toto” in The Wizard of Oz.

Theriault’s will be auctioning Shirley Temple’s childhood costumes and other items in Kansas City, MO on July 14^th.

https://www.theriaults.com/love-shirley-temple-events-auction-schedule

http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Eyes-Shirley-Temple/dp/B00005RT3R/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1436282532&sr=8-11&keywords=Bright+Eyes