User reviews

The thing that really struck me about this short comedy is that it is all about a guy who makes a radio commercial for a local donut shop because he actually cares about the well-being of its owner, a woman named Dora with whom he is clearly romantically interested (and who is clearly romantically interested in him as well). In a time when we are bombarded with obnoxious advertisements and endless streams of commercials, it is indeed interesting to look back to a time when it would be acceptable to make a movie about making a commercial.

Today, commercials have become so widespread that they're like a cancer on society, you can't go anywhere anymore without being advertised at, they even show commercials before the previews start at the movie theaters now. And I thought I spent $10 to get in so I could get AWAY from the commercials.

Shirley Temple is not the star of this short film, although it's easy to see why she is so good at coming to the forefront, because as is to be expected, she steals every scene that she's in, even though she is the only person who doesn't fit in at all. The film concerns a school band taught by a charming teacher named Andy, although all of the students appear to be about junior high school age, except for 5 year old Shirley.

Unfortunately, the movie loses its way completely in the second half, with the thin script being abandoned completely at about the time that people start fighting. An improvised one-man performance of Little Red Riding Hood is thrown in out of nowhere, and then we are treated to a couple of pie throwing sight gags (which are not entirely without effect) before the movie makes short work of solving the crisis that it introduced about Dora's struggling bakery, as well as the budding romance between her and Andy. It wastes a lot of time in the last act and is hardly up to par with the short comedies of the time, but is still a charming little film.

With Shirley Temple when she was a little child. She is not the star in this film, that is the Scottish comic actor Andy Clyde. The story: A doughnut shop with economical problem is saved when a school music class is on radio to promote the doughnuts.

Schoolteacher Andy Wilson makes his usual morning stop for coffee and donuts at Dora's Home Bakery.

Today he enjoys talking to Dora so much that he is late to school for the first time.

Later that day, Dora tells him about some wonderful new donuts that she has made.

Andy is so impressed with them that he decides to have his students help him make a radio commercial, in order to help Dora sell her new product.

I guess Temple was a big thing in the 30s.

I sort of find her to be annoying.

It's a mildly entertaining movie.

Wonder if this is where Dunkin Donuts got its name

This enjoyable short feature has a little bit of almost everything, from slapstick to romance, from light comedy to musical variety acts, and more. Although Shirley Temple's winning presence is probably the main reason why it is now remembered, Andy Clyde is really the star, in a well-chosen role as a good-natured but rather disorientated schoolteacher.

The simple but amusing story has Clyde's character organizing his musically talented students to make a radio commercial, on behalf of his friend Dora and her delicious donuts. It features the kinds of pleasantly illogical plot turns that are fun to watch when they are handled properly. The wide variety of material does not always fit together seamlessly, but overall it works pretty well.

Although Temple is the best-known of the cast members now, she really only appears for occasional moments, though when she does, of course, she usually steals the scene. Clyde gives a consistent performance that helps to hold everything together, and Bud Jamison and the rest of the supporting cast help out as well. There's nothing fancy here, just good light entertainment that is easy to watch.

Although this film has come down to us as a Shirley Temple short, the stars are really Andy Clyde playing a school teacher and his fiancé who runs a place called Dora's Dunkin' Donuts. I wonder if some famous company might not have stolen part of that name.

Andy's kids in the local school have been formed into a musical orchestra including Shirley Temple who's there just because she's cute and adorable. Andy's fiancé Ethel Sykes get the bright idea to use the kids on a local radio station to advertise her place and the great donuts she makes.

Andy Clyde comes off as a kind of poor man's Mr. Chips as the kids range in age from the teens to barely school age as is Shirley. The orchestra isn't exactly the Philharmonic and could even give competition to Harold Hill and his 'think' system from the music man. But it's all kind of nice fun and definitely one of Shirley Temple's better short subjects.

Dora runs a popular donut shop, and Shirley's teacher happens to have a sweet tooth (can it be he is sweet on Dora?) Classroom musical antics are interrupted when the teacher receives a message about Dora's perfect donuts. The teacher decided that the class should perform on a local radio show (they are music students). The big day arrives, but the teacher's radio show gets messed up when fights break out. Especially funny is the singing chicken woman. Directed by Henry J. Edwards, who directed other Temple vehicles, but is famed for 1935 "Scrooge" starring Sir Seymour Hicks. There are some funny scenes and rather silly characters, but it's all in good fun in this early Temple vehicle, it's only 20 minutes long.

I find it strange that Shirley's character was in a class with mostly "children" who were a lot older. She looked barely school age, and some looked like they were about to finish !

To me it seems they put Shirley in the movie as she was popular at the time - and seemed more a case of "where can we put her" "we could slot her in, in this scene".

Perhaps not brilliantly written, but I guess for the time period, and the short length the movie is ok ! Also sound and video quality as you would expect for 1933.

There are funny bits, like the (very plain looking) lady singing like a chicken !

Honestly I don't think Shirley was a great addition to the movie and certainly not good enough for top billing. I found her character a bit annoying and forced at times.

Andy Clyde (Andy) and Ethel Sykes (Dora) were a good pairing, and funny together !

A previous IMDB reviewer has said that "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is about a boy who's afraid of dogs. That reviewer is thinking of a different movie, called "Pardon My Pups". Both are short comedies which feature Shirley Temple before her stardom. Both of these films have been released on video as part of a compendium of Shirley Temple shorts, which explains why the reviewer has got them switched. "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is often packaged as a Shirley Temple film; she's prominently featured in a supporting role, but she is certainly not the central character here.

"Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" was made at Al Christie's low-budget Educational studio, which (despite its name) specialised in short comedies. (Educational started out making educational films, then producer Christie discovered that slapstick was more profitable.) The star of this film is silent-film comedian Andy Clyde, cast here as a bashful schoolmaster and speaking his dialogue in a soft Perthshire accent. Andy is sweet on Dora, who runs a small roadside diner which isn't getting much custom. But her food is good, especially her doughnuts: if only she could afford to advertise, and attract more customers!

Andy maintains order (just barely) over a classroom of students, ranging widely in age. They're all good kids, but very mischievous. Little Shirley is the prize pupil. Andy organises his students into an orchestra and chorus, then he uses his savings to buy some air time on the local radio station. This is quite realistic: in the golden age of radio, many shows were "on sustaining", meaning that the performers had no sponsor and they paid for their own air time.

We see some very unrealistic yet amusing shenanigans at the radio station, including a performance by a matronly singer (Florence Gill) who clucks her song as if she were a chicken. Andy leads his schoolkids in a rendition of an advertising jingle, "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts", which is actually quite enjoyable. But of course a few things go wrong during the live broadcast...

Special attention should be paid to Bud Jamison, unfortunately misspelt in the credits of this film as 'Jamieson'. Bud Jamison was the greatest straight man in the history of film comedy! He worked with most of the greatest comedians in the first 50 years of American films, including Chaplin, Keaton, WC Fields and the Three Stooges. In the Stooges classic 'Disorder in the Court', Jamison is the defence attorney who hands Curly a revolver while speaking the immortal line "Never fear, it's not loaded." Bud Jamison gave sterling service in many of the greatest comedies of the 1920s through '40s (and in a lot of obscure comedies too), yet he remains utterly unknown to old-movie fans ... probably because Jamison specialised in making other comedians seem funnier than they were. Here in "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts", Jamison is quite funny as the put-upon manager of the small-time radio station.

I'll rate this nice comedy-musical short 10 out of 10. You'll probably watch it to see Shirley Temple, and Andy Clyde is excellent in the lead role. (Ethel Sykes is quite good too, as the titular Dora.) But please rewind it and watch it again, this time concentrating on Bud Jamison's expert comedy timing.

Early in her film career, Shirley Temple appeared in quite a few shorts. So, although she was HUGELY famous in the 1930s, you can see her in supporting roles in small films up through 1934. Most of them are pretty dreadful and "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is certainly pretty much the norm for these early films when it comes to quality.

This film stars Andy Clyde as an incredibly irresponsible school teacher. The film begins with him making eyes at Dora at her doughnut stand--even though school should have started already. But, the kids are an odd lot and they come get him instead of just running amok! And, once school begins, you see they are REALLY odd--breaking into song and dance numbers in the classroom!! When Dora creates the ultimate doughnut(?), Clyde decides to help her by having his kids go on the radio and sing its praises. Really. And how does it all end? Well, you probably won't care but I'll say no more in case you want to see it and be surprised. Overall, the film is pretty limp--with lots of singing, a dumb plot and very real little comedy. Not good by any standard.

A doughnut shop in money trouble is saved when the school music class appear on radio to promote the doughnuts. Shirley looks beautiful in this film. Shirley hasn't really got a big part in this, but when she does, she is brilliant!!!

I won't say that it is going to blow you over, but it is a very nice little short story about a boy who is afraid of dogs, but is challenged to overcome his fear when he is presented with the opportunity to help one who is hurt. There is quite a bit of slap stick comedy toward the end, and it is all in good fun!

{This if one of the movie shorts from the "Shirly Temple Festival"}

A SHIRLEY TEMPLE Short Subject.

Taking his musical students with him, a school teacher goes on live radio to promote DORA'S DUNKING DOUGHNUTS - a specialty snack invented by his sweetheart.

This is an amusing little film, with lots of slapstick worked into the plot. Miss Shirley is sweet & adorable, but really has not much to do. The real star is Scottish comic actor Andy Clyde, who played slightly befuddled or cantankerous gentlemen for years in films and later on television. Appearing all too briefly is English actress Florence Gill, playing herself in her film debut; this lady, who had the odd talent of being able to sing like a chicken, voiced the formidable Clara Cluck for a handful of Walt Disney cartoons in the 1930's & '40's.

Often overlooked or neglected today, the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents, both in front & behind the camera. The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film, something akin to writing a topnotch short story rather than a novel. Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material, short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios' feature films.

Shirley Temple is only a supporting character in this ensemble role. Dora runs a Doughnut shop in town and is smitten with the teacher who rides his bicycle every day on his way to school. This film was only done when Shirley was 5 years old. While she is small, she certainly steals the spotlight. Anyway, the teacher and Dora the Doughnut lady flirt with each other. Then one day, she sends a note to come in a hurry. She has found a way to make her Doughnuts better. The teacher and the class find a way to get her more customers via the radio commercial since this short was before television's time. Anyway, the story is cute an all. Shirley is fine and adorable. The other actors do their job. It's not classic cinema but a relatively easy short to watch.