Shirley Temple gets to speak Chinese! It's not enough work for her to sing, tap dance, memorize lines when she's not even old enough to read them, and look adorable. She has to learn a foreign language, too. In Stowaway, she's a young girl in Shanghai whose missionary parents die. She accidentally bonds with a wealthy playboy on vacation, Robert Young, and while he's busy getting drunk with his buddy Eugene Pallette, Shirley accidentally smuggles herself on board the same cruise ship. There, she meets Alice Faye, who's engaged but not in love. Do you think Shirley might get to play matchmaker?
Unarguably, the best line from Stowaway comes out of Arthur Treacher's mouth. He's Robert's hilarious valet, and after what he thought was a romantic evening with his employer and Alice, he asks where to lay out Robert's pajamas. "The same place you put them last night," Robert snaps back, clearly frustrated. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry, sir," Arthur says. As much as this is a children's movie, it also has jokes that will make the grown-ups chuckle and leave the kids confused. A side plot involves Alice's fiancé and his overbearing mother, Helen Westley. It will bore the kids, but anyone old enough to deal with in-laws will find it hilarious.
There used to be a running joke in my household. I used to say, "Robert Young? Ew, he's so smug." My mom would be horrified: "But he's Father Knows Best! He's Marcus Welby, M.D.!" The reason why I always thought Robert Young was smug was because I'd only ever seen him in Stowaway. He plays an entitled playboy, and to be honest, he's a little smug. However, I've since learned he was simply acting, and that in other movies, he's not smug at all.
Stowaway is really cute. If you haven't seen this Shirley Temple classic yet, rent it. You'll be treated to the sweet curly top singing "You've Got to S-M-I-L-E" and "Goodnight, My Love," as well as Alice Faye singing "One Never Knows, Does One." And, as an extra treat, Shirley Temple finally gets to dance with Fred Astaire! I'm sure audiences were frustrated that RKO and Fox couldn't compromise so that the two most beloved dances couldn't combine on the screen, but in Stowaway, Shirley dances with a stuffed dummy who looks like Fred. So cute!
