Little Miss Broadway
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Little Miss Broadway is a 1938 American musical-comedy film with dramatic overtones directed by Irving Cummings. The original screenplay was written by Harry Tugend and Jack Yellen.
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[edit] Synopsis
Orphan Betsy Brown is released into the care of Pop Shea, her uncle who runs the Hotel Variety, a boarding house for theatrical performers, including bandleader Jimmy Clayton, animal trainer Ole, a ventriloquist, and a married pair of wisecracking midgets entertainers.
Sarah Wendling, the curmudgeon owner and next-door neighbor of the building, detests "show people" and their noise and demands Pop pay the $2,500 back rent he owes or move out immediately. Her nephew Roger, in love with Pop's daughter Barbara, is determined to help the occupants, and he files suit against Sarah in order to gain control of the building and his inheritance, with which he plans to stage a show starring the hotel residents. Sarah questions the soundness of Roger's investment in the show, and Betsy convinces the judge to see the production before he decides the case.
With the assistance of her friends, the little girl presents a lavish musical revue in the courtroom that so impresses one of the observers he offers the troupe $2,500 a week to star in his International Follies. Having had a change of heart, Sarah insists the show is worth $5,000 and convinces the impresario to double his offer. Roger and Barbara then announce their intent to wed and adopt Betsy.
[edit] Production notes
The film's original title was Little Lady of Broadway.
Executive producer Darryl F. Zanuck allegedly wrote most of the final screenplay. During filming, Eleanor Roosevelt visited Shirley Temple on the set [1].
[edit] Principal cast
- Shirley Temple ..... Betsy Brown Shea
- George Murphy ..... Roger Wendling
- Jimmy Durante ..... Jimmy Clayton
- Phyllis Brooks ..... Barbara Shea
- Edna May Oliver ..... Sarah Wendling
- Edward Ellis ..... Pop Shea
- El Brendel ..... Ole
- Jane Darwell ..... Miss Hutchins
- Donald Meek ..... Willoughby Wendling
[edit] Principal production credits
- Producer ..... Darryl F. Zanuck
- Original Music ..... Louis Silvers
- Choreography ..... Nick Castle, Geneva Sawyer
- Cinematography ..... Arthur C. Miller
- Art Direction ..... Bernard Herzbrun, Hans Peters
- Costume Design ..... Gwen Wakeling
[edit] Soundtrack
- "Little Miss Broadway"
- "Be Optimistic"
- "How Can I Thank You?"
- "We Should Be Together"
- "If All the World Were Paper"
- "Swing Me an Old Fashioned Song"
The six original songs were written by Harold Spina (music) and Walter Bullock (lyrics). All were performed by Shirley Temple.
[edit] Critical reception
In his review in the New York Times, Frank S. Nugent said, "The devastating Mistress Temple is slightly less devastating than usual . . . it can't be old age, but it does look like weariness . . . although she performs with her customary gaiety and dimpled charm, there is no mistaking the effort every dimple cost her." [2]
TV Guide calls it "a delightful Shirley Temple vehicle in which she again does what she does best - portray a singing, dancing, pouting orphan girl." [3]
[edit] References
[edit] External link
Little Miss Broadway at the Internet Movie Database
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