Little Miss Broadway

I'm not the biggest fan of black and white films but this was still good. That shouldn't interfere with the acting and story itself, but that's just me.

I actually enjoyed this even though it lacked color. During the first ten or fifteen minutes, I was pretty determined that I was going to hate this film. It was kind of slow and the writing wasn't all that great. Then I realized that it was made in the '30s and should think how this would have appeared back then. I thought and began to enjoy it.

I'll be honest, this is the first Shirley Temple film that I have ever seen. I've heard of her and had been wanting to see her in something for a while, but never did. I was so impressed with her acting ability. Plus, she's so cute dancing around that office. The rest of the cast is pretty good but I especially liked the part of Betsy Brown.

While 'Little Miss Broadway' was still very slow, I enjoyed it because of the dancing number(s). Also, the writing was somewhat comical.

This isn't one of the best films I have ever seen, not even close, but it was/is something good to see on a quiet afternoon when there is nothing else on.

Little Miss Broadway is a very enjoyable movie musical format in miniature with bright,bouncy tunes,a plot that moves with light touches of comedy,sentiment and slight conflicts..All the main characters perform solidly,but THE main sharply etched brilliant performance belongs to Edna May Oliver...when I was a child,I was at first repelled by her "mean old pumpkin" ways...OH! but to look closer as one grows older..WOW! What subtle hysterical faces and brilliance beneath that unique face and her ever so subtle softness of heart which peeks out more and more towards the end..She truly stands out..such a marvelous artist!

An orphaned Shirley is adopted by an elderly man and his daughter who run a hotel for "Entertainers", however when the rent is past due, the grumpy wealthy landlady who lives next door, tries to have the hotel closed. When that attempt fails, she has Shirley sent back to the orphanage, because of the " unwholesome " atmosphere at the hotel. But fear not, it IS a Shirley movie---it always works out!

I think this is an adorable movie. It's hard to grasp the reality of how YOUNG Shirley was when she did these films. To be so talented at such a young age! The story is cute, with a probably predictable ending, but the characters stand out and keep your interest. And watching Shirley dance to " We Belong Together " with George Murphy always makes me smile. Edna Oliver is PERFECT as a cantankerous IL' landlady. The film clearly isn't an Oscar winner, but if you enjoy good, wholesome entertainment without all the sex, violence and fowl language, you will LOVE this movie.

We all know the early Shirley Temple movies are the best, but if you're a die-hard fan of the little curly top, you've probably seen Little Miss Broadway a couple of times. It's one of those "let's put on a show!" musicals that doesn't really have much of a story. Lots of unrelated songs, lots of performers, but all in all, not that great. Shirley Temple was credited to saving America from the Great Depression, and this movie served as a miniature tribute to her.

George Murphy is the manager of a small hotel, and he adopts little orphan Shirley. The hotel is populated with a bunch of out-of-work entertainers, and Shirley gets the idea of putting on a big show. They need backers (and Shirley sings a song about it), but the hotel owners, Donald Meek and Edna May Oliver, don't like showbiz and refuse to help. Will Jimmy Durante, Jane Darwell, Phyllis Brooks, and the others be able to make their mark on the stage?

Shirley is very sweet, but she's transitioning into her adolescence and you can see it in her eyes that she's tired of being a little girl. This probably won't end up as a favorite in your collection, but you can check it out on a rainy afternoon.

This might be the best of all the Shirley Temple movies of the 1930s because its so interesting start-to-finish.

The only annoying person is Edna May Oliver, who plays the standard mean old lady who is out to ruin things for the ""good guys" Fortunately, she's not in a lot of scenes and eventually even changes her thoughts for the better.

The rest of the film is nothing but nice people who are a lot of fun to watch. George Murphy and Phyllis Brooks are the typical (for Temple movies) super nice, handsome young couple which gets together in the end.

Edward Ellis plays a nice old man and Donald Meek nearly steals the show with some funny lines and funny faces. I thought James Durante would be funny, but he had more of a straight than comedic role.

Other features which make this movie stand out from normal Temple fare were unique characters (midgets, twins, penguins and more) and a tremendous amount of songs and dances (much more than normally heard).

All the elements that made Shirley Temple's films so successful are rolled up into this movie. Great stuff!