Customer Reviews

Young People [VHS]

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

 

 

"Young People" was Shirley Temple's final film under contract at Twentieth-Century Fox. Although she would go on to make some excellent movies as a teenager and young adult, "Young People" effectively marked the end of her reign as a child star.

In this picture Temple plays Wendy Ballentine, the adopted daughter of two vaudeville stars (Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood). She literally grows up onstage (just as Temple grew up before film audiences in the 1930s), stealing scenes from her parents and becoming an integral part of the act.

However, the Ballentines yearn for a more stable and "normal" existence, and, thus, retire from show business to take up residence in a hamlet in the countryside. It isn't an easy transition: the townsfolk seem to have a poor opinion of "show people" and shun the Ballentine family. Wendy also has trouble adjusting to life offstage: she reads "Variety" at home, teaches her entire class to do splashy musical theatre numbers and tap dances around her living room.

Of course, all ends well. On their way out of town (returning to the warm world of vaudeville), Wendy and her parents rescue a local child in a storm. The Ballentines save the day, the town is grateful, and the residents finally learn to peacefully coexist with their colorful neighbors.

Temple's Fox swan song was not her strongest picture story-wise, but it did inadvertently give her the chance to say farewell. One of the most touching scenes in the film is the Ballentine's last performance at the theatre, where, after giving a show-stopping tap number, Wendy addresses the audience and thanks them for their support over the years.

Oakie and Greenwood, as the senior Ballentines, gave wonderful performances. They actually were ex-vaudevillians, and were given some great opportunities to show off their numerous talents. Temple, of course, was also top-notch in her dance and acting.

My six year old daughter and I watched this film together and enjoyed it very much. Shirley Temple as always, gave it her best, as well as the other actors. The story is touching and teaches children about the importance of being open to change. It teaches about caring for your fellow man, and being a good citizen. I would recommend this for parents and young children to watch together.

YOUNG PEOPLE (1940) was, despite it's mix of the regular Temple movie trappings, an even bigger flop at the box office than THE BLUE BIRD, released earlier that same year. Back in black-and-white, and with the "child star" cuteness becoming a slightly uncomfortable fit for the rapidly maturing twelve-year-old Temple, it lacks a certain zest; although Temple gives a great performance and is matched every step of the way by her co-stars Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood.

The story follows vaudeville team Joe and Kitty Ballantine (Oakie and Greenwood) and their adopted daughter Wendy (Temple) as they attempt to retire on a farm in New England, only to find hostility and scorn from their old-fashioned, small-minded neighbours.

This was Shirley's last movie for Fox. After her two failures in 1940 (and with no scripts on the immediate horizon), it was decided, in an agreement between producer Darryl F. Zanuck and Temple's parents, to finally terminate her contract. Oddly enough, one of the songs in the film ("Young People") contains lyrics that keenly reflected Temple's personal situation at the time. Audiences wanted Shirley to remain a curly-haired moppet, Temple wanted to grow up. Something had to give...

YOUNG PEOPLE features a clever prologue in which we actually "see" the Wendy/Temple character grow up whilst performing in the Ballantine's act. This was achieved by using a body double for long-shots, intercut with footage of Shirley herself performing "The Beaches of Waikiki" from 1935's CURLY TOP, and "Baby, Take a Bow" from 1934's STAND UP AND CHEER! Despite it's shortcomings, YOUNG PEOPLE is a solid movie and a worthy and touching coda to Shirley Temple's Fox years.

Shirley Temple's movie career was past its peak when she appeared in this movie. She was twelve years old and as perky as ever, but her popularity was waning for a variety of reasons.

Shirley plays Wendy Ballantine, an orphan in the care of Joe Ballantine (Jack Oakie, who had more than 100 movie and television appearances) and Kit Ballantine (Charlotte Greenwood, who some may remember in "Oklahoma!"). Joe and Kit raise Wendy as though she was their own daughter. This film uses clips of Shirley from her earlier movies to show her at various ages. The gimmick generally works.

Joe, Kit and Wendy are a popular vaudeville act, but being in show business puts them on the road and in hotels constantly. Kit and Joe decide that it would be better for Wendy to settle down. The trio settles on a farm purchased by Wendy's late father.

Unfortunately, the small town near the farm is full of ultra-conservative people who have a dislike and distrust of anything new. By new, I mean anything that has existed for less than 50 years. Some of the townspeople do everything possible to drive the Ballantines out of town. The last straw seems to be when Wendy organizes her classmates into a rousing vaudeville style show, which somehow upsets the ultra-conservative sensibilities of the townspeople.

After the continuously offensive treatment by the townspeople, the Ballantines decide to leave town and go back to show business. On their way to the train station their car gets stuck in the mud, caused by a powerful storm. The Ballantines head for shelter and encounter a group of children stranded by the storm. The Ballantines shepherd the children to a nearby house, but one of the children is missing!

Will the missing child be found? Will everyone survive the terrible storm? Will the Ballantines miss their train? The answer to these and other questions await the viewer!

This movie misses the magic of Shirley's earlier movies. Shirley does a fine job, as do the other members of the cast, but the script and the plot are less than inspired. I did like the movie even though the ending was highly predictable and I recommend the movie to fans of Shirley and Jack Oakie. If you want to see Shirley at her prime I recommend most of the movies she made from 1934 to 1939 as a better starting point. Watch this movie only after you have seen a number of her other movies.

Good Luck!

This film is a priceless good-bye to and from Shirley at the Fox Studios. The film uses clips from her very earliest efforts to portray her toddler self all the way up to the current story of an orphan (what else!) who is adopted by vaudevillians Jack Oakey and Charlotte Greenwood after her parents die of something when she is a baby. All three yearn to set up a "normal" life on the farm her birth parents left to them. Of course Shirley must win over the crusty, mean-spirited local townsfolk in order for her family to claim their rightful place in the small town life they crave. Oakey and Greenwood are smashing as Shirley's parents; their talents literally ooze from their performances, and Shirley is poignant in her good-bye to her status as the most outstanding child film performer of all time. The fact that Shirley could hold her own with the two scene-stealing old showmen is a triumph! Don't miss this underrated Shirley Temple film.

Fox continues to release the Temple films without any real extras; this one appears to be no exception. According to the Fox press release, this film underwent a restoration. The video is pleasing enough as well as the audio. As a departure from the other releases in this series, there is NO colorized version to choose from here. For film buffs, this is a plus!

"Young People" (1940) Story: Wendy (Temple, in her final film at Fox) is adopted as an infant by the husband and wife vaudeville team of Joe and Kit Ballantine (Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood), she grows into childhood as a vital part of their act. As she approaches school age, the couple feels that life on the road is not the best thing for Wendy and decide to settle down on a farm in Vermont. However, the locals openly express their doubts about the morality of show business people. A few pleasing tunes ("On Fifth Avenue" and "Tra La La La") and some solid performances, but it comes off as an enjoyable B-Movie version of the Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney backyard musicals...WITHOUT a Mickey. Shirley shows the awkwardness of a teen; her acting and dance routines do not look natural; they seem very mannered and over-rehearsed. With a higher quality director and better script, Shirley could have had a more successful transition into the teen years (as witnessed by her later films during the Selznick years). Greenwood is great in this film, but Oakie comes off as an oaf. His dancing in the finale ("Tra La La") is plain horrible; instead of dancing, he looks like he is fighting off a bad case of gas. Original black and white film in its original theatrical aspect ratio with English Stereo and English and Spanish Mono and includes English, French and Spanish subtitles and a theatrical trailer that really would have benefitted from a little digital stabilization. 78 minutes.

If you're looking for a value, this film is also sold with "Stowaway" and "Wee Willie Winkie" as Volume 6 in Fox's Shirley Temple series.

I think this is a wonderful piece of work by Shirley Temple. Yes, in her early films, she has proven to be a pleasure to watch, but I also believe that in her later films, they are extraordinary, as well, and showcased her abilities to embrace different rolls and carry her acting abilities forward. I believe that she has been underrated as an actress and that all of her films should be made available to the public. Although there are many good films out there, I do believe that classics such as these have been lost,as a whole, and we need more quality films like these.

My husband ordered this as it was one of his favorite Shirley Temple movies. The quality was good, we are pleased with this purchase.

The Ballantines (Jack Oakie, Charlotte Greenwood) are a vaudeville couple who inherit a friend's daughter (Shirley Temple) when they die. They raise her on the stage, and the family is a big success, but they feel that their little girl should have a more normal childhood and being putting payments on a farmhouse in a small town.

When they have enough money saved, the Ballantines move into their new home. With dreams of an easy transition into the community, they find that their stage career pushes them far away from the conservative values of the townspeople, and the family has a rough time adjusting.

This movie incorporates a few early Temple performances, like clips of her singing and dancing in Baby Take a Bow. The editing is clever and works well with the story.

The ending, however, is sappy and formulaic and ruins what began a pretty decent flick. Young People was never on the road to being anything outstanding, but the grand finale pulls it down from where it could have finished.

This is one of the first movies I have seen where Shirley is this old.
Like in her other movies she tries to make jokes and giggle and she could get away with sitting on older mens laps and holding their hand..in this movie it just does not seem to work.
After her family quits vaudeville they move to a small dumpy town.
Shirley decides to be in the town talent show and gets the other kids involved..the act she decided to perform seems to have come straight from Britney's book.. Complete with provocative dance moves Shirley goes on about how "all you people look at me like I'm a little girl" and how she is all grown up and is looking for fun and a boyfriend etc.

Not my favorite Shirley movie but it is interesting..