Avg. Customer Rating:(based on 11 reviews) Sales Rank: 1101405 Category: Book
Publisher:20th Century Fox Studio:20th Century Fox Manufacturer:20th Century Fox Label:20th Century Fox Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, Full Screen, Subtitled, Ntsc Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: DVD Running Time: 70 minutes Number Of Items: 1 Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
Publication Date: August 30, 2005 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Sheer and irresistible hokum, Little Miss Broadway is classic Shirley Temple entertainment, with the moonfaced, squeaky-voiced starlet playing the singin'-est, dancin'-est orphan in New York City. Adopted by the elderly manager of a show-biz hotel, Shirley gets caught between the lovable show folk and the tyrannical landlady (superlative sourpuss Edna Mae Oliver) who wants to tear the hotel down. Naturally, there's a wealthy but kindhearted nephew on one side of the fight and a poor but lovely niece on the other, along with a cast of colorful characters, including Jimmy Durante and assorted musicians, jugglers, tap-dancing little people, and a trained penguin. It all comes to a crescendo in the most preposterous art-deco courtroom you've ever seen. Temple set the standard for precocious moppets to come; as corny as her antics may be, even contemporary cynics will fall for her radiant charm. This DVD includes both a spruced-up black-and-white version and a colorized version--though the colorization is much improved, skin tones still end up with the unsettling amber of a bad tanning salon job. --Bret Fetzer
"Dontcha be a grumpy!" July 20, 2008 Betsy (Shirley Temple) is a little orphan girl who knows that the world should just all "smile, smile! Smile and be happy!" Her cheery attitude gets her adopted into a theatrical family who resides at a hotel, but the landlady wants her money, and the troupe has none. Fortunately for Betsy, the landlady's nephew (George Murphy) is sympathetic to their cause and wants to help.
Little Miss Broadway is pleasant but standard. The story is absolutely unimportant; the stars are really the highlight.
One of the most exciting things about this movie is the brilliant supporting cast, a bunch of character actors with plenty of personality. The most famous one is Jimmy Durante whose trademark nose and gravelly voice are just foundation for smiles. Donald Meek and Edna Mae Oliver play well off of each other as spouses who never agree. El Brendel appears in the jazz band and has a few cute scenes with a penguin. I have found that most people dislike him, but I adore his childlike grin and phoney accent. George and Olive Brasno appear as (what else) two midgets from a show; they are best remembered today for their several appearances in the Our Gang films.
it's all here in one great big package January 18, 2008 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Little Miss Broadway is yet another charming movie that stars the great Shirley Temple. The plot moves along at a good pace and I thought that the acting was very convincing.
The action begins when Betsy Shea (Shirley Temple) is adopted out of a girl's orphanage by William J. "Pop" Shea (Edward Ellis), who manages the Hotel Variety in New York. Betsy will be living in the Hotel with "Pop," his daughter Barbara Shea (Phyllis Brooks) and a host of actors and vaudevillians who are mostly out of work.
Things heat up when Sarah Wendling (Edna May Oliver), who owns the Hotel Variety, finds out that the hotel is back due on the rent--to the tune of $2,500! That was very big money in those days; and Sarah Wendling eventually gets so angry with the situation she plans to tear down the hotel. Meanwhile, her nephew Roger Wendling (George Murphy) falls in love with Barbara Shea--and things get very complicated and messy.
Will Sarah Wendling tear down the hotel and leave dozens of people homeless? She certainly won't be willing to help her nephew Roger financially if he has anything to do with Barbara Shea. Will "Pop" Shea and the others living in the hotel be able to raise the required back due rent money? How does Betsy figure into the plot? Will she stay at the hotel or will she return to the orphanage? No spoilers here, folks--you'll have to watch the movie to find out.
The choreography shines in the final ten minutes of the film when there's a lot of singing and dancing numbers; look for a wonderful number featuring George Murphy and Shirley Temple.
The DVD comes with the glorious black and white version of the movie; the restoration is wonderful. There is also an option to watch a colorized version of the movie instead.
Overall, Little Miss Broadway is a charming Shirley Temple vehicle that leaves you smiling and wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and I recommend it for Shirley Temple fans and people who want their children to "discover" Shirley Temple. Look also for a fine performance by Jimmy Durante as one of the entertainers living in the hotel.
"Little Miss Broadway (1938) ... Shirley Temple ... Legend Films (2005)" August 4, 2007 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Legend Films and 20th Century Fox present "LITTLE MISS BROADWAY" (released: 16 September 1938) (72 mins) (B&W/Color Versions) - Under Irving Cummings (Director), David Hempstead (Producer), Darryl F. Zanuck (Producer), Harry Tugend (Screenwriter), Jack Yellen (Screenwriter),Walter Bullock - Composer (Music Score) / Songwriter), Louis Silvers - Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Harold Spina (Songwriter / Composer (Music Score), Walter Thompson (Editor), Nick Castle (Choreography), Geneva Sawyer (Choreography) - - - - - - Shirley's an optimistic orphan who is adopted by a Vaudeville hotel "owner" and his daughter. She meets a guy (George Murphy, who is FABULOUS dancing with Shirley on the number "We Should be Together") trying to convince his aunt (Edna May Oliver, the real owner) to not close the hotel --- Incidentally, outtakes of Little Miss Broadway exist showing Shirley Temple doing a frighteningly accurate impersonation of her costar Jimmy Durante (ha-cha-cha-cha-cha!)
the cast includes: Shirley Temple ... Betsy Brown Shea George Murphy ... Roger Wendling, Sarah's nephew Jimmy Durante ... Jimmy Clayton, Jazz Bandits bandleader Phyllis Brooks ... Barbara Shea Edna May Oliver ... Sarah Wendling, owner, Hotel Variety George Barbier ... Fiske, attorney Edward Ellis ... William J. 'Pop' Shea, manager, Hotel Variety Jane Darwell ... Miss Hutchins, orphanage matron El Brendel ... Ole Donald Meek ... Willoughby Wendling
BIOS: 1. Shirley Temple Date of Birth: 23 April 1928 - Santa Monica, California Date of Death: Still Living
2. Jimmy Durante Date of Birth: 10 February 1893 - New York, New York Date of Death: 29 January 1980 - Santa Monica, California
3. Irving Cummings (Director) Date of Birth: 9 October 1888 - New York, New York Date of Death: 18 April 1959 - Los Angeles, California
If you enjoyed this film, check out Legend Films and 20th Century Fox present "The Shirley Temple - America's Sweetheart Collection, Vol. 1" (Heidi/Curly Top/Little Miss Broadway) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- In 2004, Shirley Temple teamed with Legend Films to restore, colorize and release her earliest black and white films, as well as episodes of her 1960 television series, The Shirley Temple Storybook Collection --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes her picture perfect charm more vivd than ever --- no one can resist Shirley's charm in all her heart warming films.
Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO, CTO & Board Member) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector --- all my heroes have been cowboys!
Total Time: 72 mins on DVD ~ Legend Films Video. ~ (8/30/2005)
cute musical May 5, 2007 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
LITTLE MISS BROADWAY stars Shirley Temple in another harmless musical confection especially tailored to her talents. As in most of her film vehicles, she plays an orphaned show-biz wiz who comes to the rescue.
Temple plays the sparky orphan Betsy Brown, who lives with her surrogate family at the Hotel Variety, a favourite spot for showbusiness types. Things look grim when the hotel is to be torn down for a new development. Betsy decides to appeal for help from the cranky landlady Sarah Wendling (Edna May Oliver).
There are plenty of prime opportunities here for Temple to display her musical skills ("Be Optimistic", "How Can I Thank You?", "We Should Be Together", "If All the World Were Paper", "Swing Me an Old-Fashioned Song"). She is joined by a talented cast, not least of which Jimmy Durante, who turns in a spirited performance. Edna May Oliver was unrivalled when it came to playing snooty society dames, and she doesn't disappoint, playing the foil for Temple's sweetness. George Murphy and Phyllis Brooks supply the romance.
LITTLE MISS BROADWAY will be a charming addition to your Shirley Temple collection!
Who doesn't love Shirley Temple? July 23, 2006 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a great collection and a MUST have for any Shirley Temple Collector! But who doesn't love the original Child Superstar? She is funny and timeless, way before even my Mom's time and both my Mom and I and my nieces love her! This is a non-generational must watch family movies, that not only are funny, fun and entertaining, but help instill values that seem to have been lost in our times! This collection will make you laugh and cry as Shirley draws you in with every word.
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