Our Little Girl

Shirley Temple was in a few - not many - movies that just were not appealing. In most of her films, she overcomes a bad start in life (orphanages, etc.) or overcomes an evil, nasty person (usually Edna Mae Oliver or someone similar) but is seen happy most of the time and singing and dancing here and there. It's when the negative elements of the story are overemphasized (i.e. Blue Bird, Baby Take A Bow) that her films often lose appeal. That's the case in this movie.

"Our Little Girl" is simply too depressing, a negative storyline in which Shirley's parents are ready for a divorce. Her mother has an affair with a friend and the father is away all the time on business, ignoring the family.

When Temple ("Molly Middleton") is happy or cute, she's too cute in here, her sugary personality overdone. Meanhwhile, there is only one song and no dance numbers. People buy or rent Shirley Temple movies to feel good, not to get depressed or weighed down with broken-family soaps. There are plenty of other movies like that.

While I enjoy the old Shirley Temple films, I am occasionally shocked at how depressing and scary many of the plots were. In one, she is separated from her father and is pursued by a creepy guy who keeps offering to take her out and buy her candy, in MANY she's an orphan and in this one she's in the middle of two parents who are divorcing! Family-friendly, perhaps, but definitely films with a dark side.

In this film, it begins with the Middleton family being happy as can be. Their daughter, Molly (Temple) is adored and everything seems just peachy. However, over time you notice that Dr. Middleton (Joel McCrea) is often so wrapped up in his work that he neglects his sweet wife, Elsa (Rosemary Ames). It's obvious to everyone but him that his wife is lonely and needs him. Eventually, she sets her eyes on the Doc's best friend, Rolfe Brent (Lyle Talbot) and soon she and Brent are in love...and she's seeking a divorce! Molly naturally is effected by all this and eventually runs away! Will these dopey parents give up their selfish ways and make a family for Molly once again? What do you think?!

Like so many of Shirley's films, this one is an obvious object lesson on good parenting and the importance of family. So, despite being a tiny bit traumatic, it does all end well and emphasizes good old fashioned values. It is a bit of a departure, though, as in this one Shirley does NOT sing and the film has a much more compact plot than usual...hence its very short running time compared to her other full-length films. Well worth seeing and sweet.

The issue of divorce and how it affects children is only marginally dealt with in this cloying story of a happy family torn apart by a rotten script. Too much time is spent on the cutesy antics of Shirley Temple, while too little time is devoted to the development of the plot and characters. In this 65-minute programmer, things happen at lightning speed, with little logic or motivation behind them. Thus, the marital split of the two leads comes too suddenly and seems unrealistic. The same can be said about the relationship between the soon-to-be-ex-wife and her wealthy suitor. The adult cast is passable, but Temple is unbearably sugary. Director John S. Robertson, used to handling costume pictures during the silent era, should have realized that less is more when it comes to baby grins and baby pouts. Make sure you check your blood-sugar level after watching this one.

Unusual for its time, "Our Little Girl" is about the disintegration of a marriage as seen through the eyes of a little girl. Dad's a busy and preoccupied doctor and medical researcher who is oblivious to his family and his adoring nurse. Mom's bored and lonely at home and Dad won't hear of her coming back to work in the office. Rolfe, a rich horsey neighbor, takes her riding and you know the rest. What's interesting, however, is how the breakup of the marriage impacts the life of the little girl. She is baffled and disoriented and she blames herself for destroying her parents' happiness. She can't warm up to Rolfe who tries unsuccessfully to buy her friendship. Ultimately, she runs away from home. Things are whitewashed by an implausible feel-good happy ending but up to that point the treatment of the catastrophic effects of divorce on a small child is done very well. Shirley, of course, is adorable as always.

Dr. Donald Middleton (Joel McCrea) wanted to be a research physician, discovering important cures. However, when his wife, Elsa (Rosemary Ames) became pregnant, he settled for being a smalltown, New England family physician. Still, he is conducting his own experiments on the side but the result is that he works extremely long hours. Elsa has been patient, for she loves her husband and knows he cares for her and their daughter, Molly (Shirley Temple). Dr. Don still manages to take a break for Molly's "May and September Saturdays", that is, two picnics at a local park called Heaven's gate, where Don and Elsa met. One day, a handsome, rich male neighbor returns to his mansion next door. He invites Elsa and Don to ride with him on various mornings, but only Elsa has time for it. Trouble starts to brew when the neighbor makes a big play for the beautiful Elsa and Dr. Don continues to spend more time away from the house. Just what will be the result? This is a tearjerker of a film which, nevertheless, produces giggles, also, when Shirley is on the screen with her beloved doggie, Sniff. Just like any little girl, Shirley's Molly is pretty oblivious to problems at home so she continues to sing, dance, and crack jokes, even when her parents are having severe problems. McCrea is very good as the fine but workaholic father while Ames is pretty and touching as the neglected wife. All other lesser actors do a nice job, too. The picnic scenes are beautiful, the costumes quite acceptable, and the storyline is a true heartgrabber. Therefore, if you want to see Shirley in a smile-through-my-tears little flick, get this one soon. It might even bring estranged couples together again, for its support of marital reconciliation is very uplifting, even as the kiddies are entertained, too.