Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm *** (1938, Shirley Temple, Randolph Scott, Jack Haley, Gloria Stuart, Helen Westley, Bill Robinson) – Classic Movie Review 6604

The 20th Century Fox studio radically changes the Kate Douglas Wiggin story as a musical-comedy-drama vehicle for its child star Shirley Temple as Rebecca Winstead, whose uncle, Henry Kipper (William Demarest), dumps her on her strict aunt, Miranda Wilkins (an amusing Helen Westley). Above all, Aunt Miranda won’t let Rebecca have anything to do with show people.

Randolph Scott co-stars as Rebecca’s neighbour Anthony Kent, who, luckily for the plot and the little heroine, is a talent-spotter, so he gets Shirley to participate secretly in the Little Miss America radio contest organised by Orville Smithers (Jack Haley). On the romantic front, Scott is in love with the aunt’s helper Gwen Warren (Gloria Stuart).

Though perhaps somewhat short of a classic, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is pretty sweet and amusing, with a host of lovely character actors to propel it gently along. It will certainly satisfy the many fans of the Thirties moppet, who gets to reprise her old hits like The Good Shop Lollipop and Animal Crackers. Memorably, Temple and Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson (playing Aloysius) shuffle cutely to Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.

Director Dwan has cult status even if this particular movie of his perhaps has not.

Also in the cast are Phyllis Brooks, Slim Summerville, Alan Dinehart, J Edward Bromberg, Raymond Scott, Dixie Dunbar, Paul Hurst, Ruth Gillette, Paul Harvey, Franklin Pangborn and Eily Maylon.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm runs 81 minutes, is written by Karl Tunberg and Don Ettlinger, shot in black and white by Arthur Miller, produced by Raymond Griffith, scored by Arthur Lange, and designed by Bernard Herzbrun and Hans Peters.

Shirley Temple Black (1928 – 2014).

RIP Shirley Temple Black (1928 – 2014). She began her film career at three in 1932, became Hollywood’s number one box-office draw from 1935 to 1938, and retired from films in 1950 at 22.

There are previous versions in 1921 with Mary Pickford, Eugene O’Brien and Josephine Crowell and in 1932 with Marian Nixon and Ralph Bellamy.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6604

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