Customer Reviews

Shirley Temple: America's Sweetheart Collection, Volume Five (The Little Princess / Stand Up and Cheer / The Blue Bird)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a Shirley Temple fan, I have purchased each one of these new DVD sets so far. This one is definitely the weakest.

The one strong movie of the three, "The Little Princess", cannot make up for the other two. Though all three movies look good, it is the story/plot of each that is either their saving grace or their downfall. (Note that two of these movies - "The Little Princess" and "The Blue Bird" are in colour, while "Stand Up and Cheer" has been left in its original black-and-white state without a colourized version.)

"The Blue Bird" is weak, and it is understandable that this film was the one generally viewed to have ended Shirley's career as a child actress. The story is boring and drawn out, and one cannot help but think that it would be much better as a play (and, in fact, it was originally a play). Shirley is unappealing as a selfish child, and the acting on the part of her co-stars is not very good. Young children would probably not understand some of the underlying themes, and might get bored. I certainly did...

"The Little Princess", made a year earlier than "The Blue Bird", is a much better film. Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the movie tells the classic story of little Sara Crewe and her undying belief that her soldier father is still alive. This version looks great; the colour is wonderful. The sound didn't seem quite right (loud ambient noise and too-quiet voices), but that may be my DVD player.

"Stand Up and Cheer" is just a weird movie. It's not for children, and it barely has enough of a plot to keep adults entertained. It's a mish-mash of song-and-dance numbers, and Shirley barely features in it at all. Luckily, with DVD technology, we can skip right to her special scene (and it is a good one... it's no wonder the 1930s movie-going public fell in love with this child!).

I am still waiting for some of my other favourites to be released as part of this series, but I don't know how many more 3-disc sets there will be, as there are five movies (by my count) left to be released: "Our Little Girl", "The Poor Little Rich Girl", "Stowaway", "Wee Willie Winkie", and "Young People".

So, for this set, three stars. The films have been restored nicely. They're just rather weak on content.

In this collection, we get Shirley's only two Technicolor films: The Little Princess and The Blue Bird, the former having been available on a dozen different - and inferior - DVDs. This time, Fox has restored all the three-strip Technicolor brilliance to two of the titles, and, strangely, released Stand Up And Cheer only in black-and-white. All the other black-and-whites in her collections were both b&w and colorized.
Perhaps it is because no colorization would look good next to these Technicolors. They are absolutely breathtaking.

As for content, well, you may or may not care for the films, but as a friend of mine used to say about three-strip Technicolor films:Good or bad, they are always a feast for the eyes! Thank you Fox for the banquet!

Others have commented that this is an odd assortment and not the best; I would agree to a small extent. "The Little Princess" is often referred to as Shirley's best, and this DVD print definitely bears out those sentiments. Shirley has a strong supporting cast with Arthur Treacher, Mary Nash, Marcia Mae Jones (as the spoiled arch nemisis of Shirley), and Anita Louise. Fox also gave Shirley high production values which show in the color, the sets (especially the lavish ballet number), and the costumes. Definitely 5 stars. "The Blue Bird" is a film that often slides into both camps; people either hate it or love it. Shirley herself gives a standout performance as a little brat. This is a little jarring for her regular fans, but for once she is given an opportunity to play against type and she succeeds. The rest of the supporting cast is strong and so are the production values. Where the film fails is in the direction, pacing, and script. With tighter direction and editing, the lulls in the plotline could have been fixed. Although not as bad is its horrible reputation, "The Blue Bird" is not as enjoyable as "The Little Princess." I would give this one a 3/4 star rating. "Stand Up & Cheer" is mainly for fans of old musicals and campy entertainment. I don't think Fox at anytime (even when it was released) ever claimed this movie was high art, and it has always had the reputation of being a lot of hokey numbers with the exception of Shirley 's standout "Baby Take A Bow" duet with James Dunn. Shirley's actual part of the number only lasts about a minute, but boy does she shine in the midst of this turkey! This movie gets about 4 stars for its historic value, and probably about a 1 or 2 star rating for overall entertainment. It's pure escapist fun that needs to be put into the historic context in which it was released: the country was in the midst of a terrible depression, and even this hokum was able to put a smile on their face. In general, it's still disappointing that Fox has been so stingy on the extras with these Shirley sets. The gal that saved the studio at least deserves a few features and commentary tracks.

I have been slowly buying up all of the boxed sets of the Shirley Temple movies. They are so much fun to watch and I'm thrilled to get them in sets of three. They are feel good movies and always make me smile.

I have bought 3 volumes in this collection. Plan to buy the other 3 volumes. My great granddaughters (7,5,3,2) really are enjoying these DVDs. Watch them over and over.

20th Century Fox presents "SHIRLEY TEMPLE COLLECTION VOL.5" (1934-1940) (225 min/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Shirley Jane Temple is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of three, and in 1934, skyrocketed to superstardom in Bright Eyes, a feature film designed specifically for her talents. She received a special Academy Award in February 1935, and film hits such as Curly Top, and Heidi followed year after year during the mid to late 1930s. She was the top box-office draw four years in a row (1935-38) in a Motion Picture Herald poll

Editorial Reviews & Product Description on this Amazon page for your viewing interest.

FIRST FILM ON THE TRIPLE FEATURE:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation presents "THE LITTLE PRINCESS" (1939) (93 min/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise, Ian Hunter, Mary Nash, Cesar Romero & Arthur Treacher

Directed by Walter Lang

NOTE: Shirley at 12yrs old is a delight as the sad little girl left in a very snotty all girls boarding school while her father is away at war in 1899,later on he is reported killed and leaves shirley with noone and no money so she is forced to work as a servant to pay her way. Mary Nash could have been the wicked witch in the wizard of oz ,she does good as the nasty head mistress. Look for a very young and handsome Cesar Romero as the Indian servant of an English nobleman. All in all, it shows someone who tries to make the best of a bad situation, and never gives up hope.

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

SECOND FILM ON THE TRIPLE FEATURE:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporations presents "STAND UP AND CHEER" (1934) (68 min/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Shirley Temple, Warner Baxter, Madge Evans & James Dunn

Directed by Hamilton MacFadden

NOTE: Stand Up and Cheer survives today because of the appearance of Shirley Temple, on her way to becoming the movies' biggest box office attraction of the decade. She only does one number here, with hoofer James Dunn as her father. But it's one of her biggest, "Baby Take a Bow". If it wasn't for Shirley, the film would have been a forgotten relic of some very tough times. Still it's worth watching for more than just Shirley Temple. In the midst of all this clutter of mismatched parts, when all might be given up for lost, comes five-year-old Shirley Temple and she is an utter joy to behold.

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 3 Stars
Performance: 3 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 3 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

THIRD & FINAL FILM ON THE TRIPLE FEATURE:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporations presents "THE BLUE BIRD" (1940) (88 min/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Starring Shirley Temple, Spring Byington, Nigel Bruce, Eddie Collins & Gale Sondergaard

Directed by Walter Lang

NOTE: The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Special Effects and Color Cinematography), nominations which were well deserved. The spectacular forest fire is very effective, as are the special effects in general. In the supporting roles, Gale Sondergaard (as Tylette, the cat) has fun with a typical Sondergaard role, mistress of evil. I love the fact that the film tries to teach that true happiness is not found through riches and material things, but found right at home, with the people we love and who love us.

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 245 min on DVD ~ 20th Century Fox ~ (03/27/2007)

Lots of people have been a little harsh in reviewing this box set, believing it to be a lesser effort than previous entries in the Shirley Temple Sweetheart collection. This is something which I feel is rather curious, since it contains two of Shirley's best latter-day Fox vehicles, namely THE LITTLE PRINCESS and THE BLUE BIRD - both in glorious Technicolor.

THE LITTLE PRINCESS (1939) has been lost in Public Domain territory for many, many years now, and it's a revelation to finally see the authorized Fox print. It's arguably Shirley's most popular movie, an adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic children's novel. During the height of the Boer War, little Sara Crewe (Shirley Temple) is left at an exclusive girl's boarding school while her widower father goes back to the front. When he's later reported as missing believed killed - on her birthday yet! - little Sara is forced to become a scullery maid in order to pay back the fortune which her father owed in tuition fees and board. Never once doubting her father is still alive, Sara clings to her faith that one day her daddy will return...

Co-starring Cesar Romero (barely recognizable under an Indian turban and dark makeup), Anita Louise as kindly teacher Miss Rose, Richard Greene as her secret beau; and Mary Nash (a frequent Temple nemesis) as the witchy boarding school principal Miss Minchin, THE LITTLE PRINCESS gave Temple one of her most demanding acting assignments, with a strong script from Ethel Hill and Walter Ferris that pulls no punches with some of the harsher, dramatic details from the original book-source. Sybil Jason is a delight playing Sara's best friend Becky, a cockney servant girl; and in a departure from her previous role in Temple's "Heidi" as sweet wheelchair-bound Clara, teenaged Marcia Mae Jones is the haughty Lavinia. Temple also shares a wonderful musical number with Arthur Treacher ("Knocked 'Em in the Old Kent Road").

THE BLUE BIRD (1940) was Fox's answer to MGM's Technicolor fantasy "The Wizard of Oz" (a project that Temple might very well have starred in, had Fox not been so strict about loaning her out to rival studios). Based on the celebrated play by Maurice Maeterlinck, Temple plays against her usual perky screen persona as the selfish and unhappy Mytyl. Woken up one night by the good fairy Berylune (Jessie Ralph), Mytyl and her little brother Tyltyl (chubby-cheeked Johnny Russell) are sent on a quest to find the Bluebird of Happiness. Accompanied by the human versions of their pet dog and cat (Eddie Collins and Gale Sondergaard), the children must travel through several lands, including the Past and the Future, in their search for the magic bird.

Considered too heavy-handed and slow moving when first released, THE BLUE BIRD was a small flop and came during the period in Temple's child star career when her popularity was starting to dull. Personally I believe she gives one of her better performances and must have enjoyed the chance to play a more realistic, multi-faceted little girl. Gale Sondergaard is hissably evil as the children's duplicitous cat, and Helen Ericson is a striking presence as the children's guide, Light. The movie is filled with fascinating story angles; for example in one strikingly-designed scene the children venture into the Future, where they meet their as-yet-unborn little sister (Ann E. Todd); and are reunited with their dead grandparents (Al Shean and Cecilia Loftus) in the Land of the Past. Sybil Jason again co-stars as the afflicted Angela. Like "The Wizard of Oz", it teaches children that happiness is something you don't have to look for, that it lives in our home and heart. That's a timeless message which ensures that THE BLUE BIRD will speak to every generation of moviegoers.

However, there isn't much I can say to recommend STAND UP AND CHEER! (1934), one of Temple's early assignments for Fox. It's the film where she introduced her hit song "Baby, Take a Bow", and was her first teaming with James Dunn, who'd later work with Temple in two subsequent hits ("Baby Take a Bow"--capatalising on the hit song title--and "Bright Eyes", both also released in 1934). Temple doesn't feature centrally in the plot and it's a pretty forgettable movie in lots of ways. Strangely--despite Fox doing a colorized version for cable television and home video release--the DVD edition of STAND UP AND CHEER! is only available in the original b&w format. While I'm a purist with my classic movies, it would have been nice to have the option, as with the other b&w titles in the Shirley Temple Sweetheart collection.

I can highly recommend this set based on the strength of the two Techicolor features however, which are among Shirley's best. Just look upon STAND UP AND CHEER! as an amusing curiosity.

Again, we have three movies packaged together, but this time it's two clear winners and an "OK, for the historical significance" corny one.

This version of The Little Princess is my favorite, in spite of the fact that it does not stick all that closely to the book, since none of the movies have done so. But it is more authentic than the more recent (and very good) Warner Bros. version from the 1990s. Shirley is the poor little rich girl whose adoring widower father puts her in Miss Minchin's snooty school in London while he goes off to the Boer War. She has lived all her life in India, and is accustomed to a very different lifestyle. But she adapts well, even when word comes that her father lost all his money and died. Shirley refuses to believe he is dead. Minchin turns her into a servant to pay off her outstanding tuition and costs advanced. So she goes to the attic and sleeps in what is mostly a storeroom, next to Becky, the Cockney servant, and finds that out the window of the room she looks directly into the house next door, where an elegant Indian servant can be seen in the window.

The story relies rather too heavily on coincidence, but that's really its only flaw. Shirley is marvelous in the role, other actors we know and love (notably the "cowardly lion") brighten the story, and Shirley even meets Queen Victoria herself! Of course, her father is alive, and she finds him, with Victoria's help.

Stand Up and Cheer is another of those "feel good" depression era movies, but this one is far more charming than most. Shirley is very, very young, and just as cute as anyone can imagine. The most important part of this movie is having it available for the history of film.

Shirley's father (Notice how she has a great many more fathers than mothers in her movies?) is an unemployed vaudeville actor who has incorporated Shirley into his act, where of course she steals the show every time. So when the government creates a Department of Entertainment (bread and circuses, you know; there were really many such projects in the New Deal), they are recruited to make the country "stand up and cheer." The song that tells it all has lyrics that start "I'm laughing, and I've got nothing to laugh about." Again, some offensive stereotypes of blacks, but what can we do?

The Blue Bird is the hidden gem. It was not popular when it was new because Shirley uncharacteristically plays a spoiled brat at the beginning. But since she learns better, I don't consider that a problem. The movie was clearly made to compete with The Wizard of Oz, and in my opinion [blasphemy warning!], it has more going for it as a story than Oz does. Shirley and her little brother are sent on a mission to find the Bluebird of Happiness by a friendly witch -- oh, sorry, a "good fairy." She travels through the graveyard to find her grandparents, who explain that they "wake up" whenever someone remembers them. They want her and her little brother to stay, but they have been warned by their spirit guide, named Light, not to stay more than an hour. Their grandparents have a large cage full of birds, but none of them is blue.

They wander around and look for the bird, and have a variety of interesting encounters, but the most remarkable place is the one where little boys and girls live until it is time for them to be born. There is a strong mystic thread here, and seems to imply reincarnation, both pretty esoteric for 1940.

Of course, they find the bluebird at home. As Dorothy put it, "There's no place like home."

I bought this movie for my mom at Christmas time too. She loves the movies of this actress.

i noticed that the price went up for this DVD ($24.99)
got my DVD when it was lower, guess I have
a good deal!