lugonian

23 May 2012

Life with Grandfather

DIMPLES (20th Century-Fox, 1936), directed by William A. Seiter, marksthe third movie with a title depicting on Shirley Temple's trademarkfeatures, following BRIGHT EYES (1934) and CURLY TOP (1935). It alsomarked the return of the bright-eyed, curly-top, dimpled-child star to19th Century America, having already won her own Civil War as THELITTLEST REBEL, and taken charge in post Civil War as THE LITTLECOLONEL. While these 1935 classics featured the legendary dancer BillRobinson, DIMPLES, which goes further back in time, New York City circa1850, it credits him only as choreographer to Temple's dance numbers,which are in many ways, first rate.With the opening of a sign reading: "Vote for (Franklin) Pierce in 1850so he can end the Depression by 1852," the story gets underway with theintroduction of Dimples (Shirley Temple), a talented child helping hergrandfather, Professor Eustace Appleby (Frank Morgan) to earn extramoney by singing and dancing on the street corners of the Bowery alongwith other urchins of an all kids band. With her grandfather being anunemployed actor, Dimples, who looks up to him as a man of honesty, isunaware that he's a petty thief who picks pockets while she sings anddances to the crowd. The Professor arranges for the children toentertain uptown in the home of the wealthy Caroline Drew (HelenWestley) during an engagement party of her nephew, Allen (Robert Kent)and his fiancé, Betty Loring (Delma Byron). As Dimples performs, theProfessor breaks away to steal some articles from Mrs. Drew. Realizingthe other kids are right about her grandfather being a thief, Dimplessaves him from disgrace by assuming the blame of a stolen cuckoo clockto Mrs. Drew. Because Mrs. Drew is lonely, especially after losing hernephew to the theater (with Allen wanting Dimples to play the lead inhis upcoming production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"), and his associationwith an Cleo Marsh (Astrid Allwyn), an actress, she decides to bringsome life into her empty mansion by offering the Professor $5,000 tohave Dimples live with her. While this brings some joy and happiness tothe dowager, it brings sadness and emptiness to the child who wantsnothing more than to be with her grandfather again.In its own little way, DIMPLES resembles POPPY (Paramount, 1936),starring W.C. Fields (reprising his Broadway role as Eustace McGargle)and Rochelle Hudson. With both stories set in the 19th century, FrankMorgan, on loan from MGM, enacts his role almost in the Fields manner.Aside from being middle-aged and addressed as "Professor," they areboth father and mother to a female orphan who truly loves them, inspite of their weakness of lying and stealing. Both men make thesupreme sacrifice by leaving their loved one in the care of a richwidow who can better provide for them with a brighter future. Morgan'scharacter at one point gets taken in by some thieves (one of themplayed by John Carradine) in Central Park by purchasing a valuablewatch that "Josephine gave to Napoleon" with the $800 entrusted to himby Allen. Discovering the watch to be worthless, he sells the "familyheirloom" to Mrs. Drew for $1,000. To avoid being arrested, theProfessor hides in the theater by blackening his face where he ismistaken for the real actor (Jack Clifford) playing "Uncle Tom." WhileMorgan does a commendable job all around, how interesting DIMPLES mighthave been with W.C. Fields instead of Morgan opposite Temple. WhilePOPPY and DIMPLES mix sentiment with comedy, DIMPLES provides moremusical numbers than POPPY. Songs for this production composed by JimmyMcHugh and Ted Koehler include "What Did the Bluebird Say?" "He Was aDandy," "Picture Me Without You" (all sung by Shirley Temple); "Get onBoard" "Sweet Low, Sweet Chariot" (sung by the Hall Johnson Choirduring the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" play); and "Dixie-Ana" (performed byTemple and minstrels).While DIMPLES recaptures the bygone era of minstrel shows and there-enactment of noteworthy scenes taken from Harriet Beecher Stowe'sclassic novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" during the theater segment withDimples playing Little Eva, certain areas of the story suffer from slowpacing. The young romantic leads (Kent and Byron) are lifeless whilethe older players (Morgan and Westley) prove satisfactory. Without thepresence of Temple and her ability to bring life to the story throughher singing and dancing, DIMPLES might have been a total failure.Temple's singing of "Picture Me Without You" to Morgan comes across alittle trite or corny, while "Dixie-Ana" is agreeable enough to rankthis one of her finest dance numbers captured on film.Others members of the cast include Berton Churchill, Paul Stanton andBetty Jean Haines as "Topsy" in the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" segment. Whileit's been customary for resident 20th-Fox black comedian Stepin Fetchitto receive special billing in the cast, in DIMPLES his performance asCicero, mysteriously goes without any screen credit in most prints,receives fifth billing in closing credits in others.Available on video cassette and DVD for any Temple fan to enjoy in bothblack and white and colorized formats, DIMPLES was presented over theyears on several cable TV networks ranging from The Disney Channel(1980s-90s), American Movie Classics (1996-2000) and presently on theFox Movie Channel. (**1/2)

talking_tree

23 May 2012

slow, rarely interesting

I usually really like watching the old and charming Shirley Temples. Butthis one, Dimples, just simply isn´t a very good movie. Some fairly goodactors are in it but all together it´s very tiring and unrealistic littlefilm. Shirley´s charisma just doesn´t hit it this time. And when itdoesn´thit, the only thing that shows is her acting which is not anythingspecial.The only quite good thing is the songs and dance rutines but other wise:boring. Also it just shines out how bad possition black actors had inHollywood on the 30s.This is not Shirley´s best, watch Curly top or The Little Princessinstead.

Ron Oliver

23 May 2012

Shirley Temple Frank Morgan Shine In Depression Comedy

DIMPLES, a precocious little tot in the New York City of1850,must decide between life with her penniless but charmingrogue of a grandfather & a wealthy old lady who loves her.Shirley Temple, that pint-sized package of amazing talent&energy, delights once again. Her megawatt smile & boundlessvivacity are only the outward manifestations of her uniquepersonality & status which still keeps her - after so much time-Hollywood's greatest child star.Frank Morgan, who had honed his scene stealing techniquesfordecades before Shirley was born, plays her grandfather.Givengood lines, he was the rare actor who could dominate thedialogue even at the mighty tyke's expense. He is constantlyentertaining to watch and adds greatly to the enjoyment ofthefilm. His classic role would come a few years later when hewasto portray THE WIZARD OF OZ, over at MGM.The supporting players all give solid performances, mostnotably Helen Westley & Berton Churchill. John Carradine&ubiquitous child actor Leonard Kibrick both have smallroles.Movie mavens will recognize Stepin Fetchit, unbilled asMorgan's servant.The romantic subplot, consisting of Robert Kent tryingtochoose between Astrid Allwyn & Delma Byron, is a dull affair-as is usual in most Shirley Temple films.Shirley sings `What Did The Bluebird Say,' `He Was A Dandy,'and, with The Hall Johnson Choir, `Get On Board, LittleChildren'. Although he does not appear in the film, thelegendary Bill Robinson choreographed Shirley's tap routines;his influence is readily apparent.It has to be mentioned that there is quite a lot of racism inthefilm. It should also be noted that this was not an unusualsituation in Hollywood films of the 1930's.

mark.waltz

23 May 2012

Likable film with some great character performers!

Can you imagine Shirley Temple as one of the Bowery Boys? Well, here in1852, she plays a ragamuffin street entertainer being raised by apickpocket grandfather (lovable Frank Morgan). Dimples gets theattention of an aging society matron (equally lovable Helen Westley)who, for some reason, has a hatred of the theater and everything thatit stands for. Her nephew (Robert Kent) wants to put on a Broadwayproduction of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and use Dimples for the role ofLittle Eva. Desperate for money after being cheated into buying a fakewatch for $800 of the show's money, Morgan agrees to let Westley takeTemple in for $5000.00. Eventually, he sells HER the fake watch for$1000 and stays on with her to be with Shirley. The show goes on butwhen Westley finds out that the watch was fake, she tries to haveMorgan arrested. But then she sees Temple on stage dying as Little Evaand has to face both her hatred towards the theater and her decision toimprison Temple's grandfather.It's a predictable story with a few musical moments, including aminstrel show at the end that might raise a few eyebrows. But that waslife in Hollywood in the 30's, and producers didn't think about whothey might offend then, let alone the future. Add Stepin Fetchit asWestley's servant, and you have double the offense for some audiences.Minus this socially unaware concept fortunately gone (but available tobe seen to show how wrong it was), "Dimples" is a cute little film thatwas made during Temple's heyday as Box Office gold. She's always been alittle too cutesy pie for my tastes, but I can understand how latedepression audiences could take her into their hearts as a sign of hopefor the future. I much prefer the talents of the veterans here, FrankMorgan and Helen Westley, who manage to avoid being backgroundfurniture when sharing scenes with her. They are adorable. Here, theyare the type of grandparents many audiences could relate to or desirefor their own. Morgan, rascally yet undeniably charming, and Westley,somewhat cranky, but oh, that heart of gold, are well paired here. Bothhad very long careers in films, and Westley seems to have beenoverlooked as a major character player. She could play gruff characterslike Parthy in 1936's "Show Boat" or be lovable like the blindgrandmother opposite Temple in "Heidi". Try not to fall in love withher here or in the 1937 Loretta Young screwball comedy "CafeMetropole". She's also wonderful in the 1934 version of "Anne of GreenGables".While not outstanding, "Dimples" is still quite likable in spite of itsshortcomings. Overlook the bad taste of black-face and stereotypes anda cute little film emerges.

murraygewirtz

20 May 2012

Dimples is a primer on stereotyping of Blacks

Parents should not allow their small children to watch Dimples any morethan they should allow them to watch excessively violent, sexuallyexplicit or profane movies, as they would be exposed to egregiousstereotypes of Black people. The movie should be viewed by students offilm, sociology and American history so they might have a betterunderstanding of the negative, demeaning attitudes toward Blacks soprevalent in the U.S. until relatively recently, traces of which stillexist. The picture has Stepin Fetchit playing a servant to Frank Morganas if he has an IQ of 10. It has a "play-within-a play" performance ofscenes from Uncle Tom's Cabin featuring Whites in ludicrous black-facecomplete with white sugar donut lips. It's ironic that the novel UncleTom's Cabin was intended as an abolitionist work, and indeed did arousesympathy for Blacks, (so much so that President Lincoln called itsauthor, Harriet Beecher Stowe, "The little lady who started the CivilWar") while this movie, in which Uncle Tom's Cabin plays a prominentpart, is, by enlightened standards, crudely racist.If you can overlook the above racism, and I I'd like to know who can,Shirley Temple is adorable as usual, dancing wonderfully, though hersinging voice, albeit cute, leaves something to be desired, as always.Frank Morgan gives an admirable performance as a charming con manthief.But, all in all, Dimples is a children's movie that is no longer, if itever was, suitable for children. If you doubt this, Just picture theObamas screening it for their daughters.

Dennis Schwartz

19 May 2012

Shirley wows us with her cuteness.

David Cornelius

18 May 2012

Dimples is light, enjoyable, and immediately forgettable, meaning, of course, that it is a Shirley Temple movie.

browser-4

18 May 2012

I love movies from the 30s and 40s but

This was not one of Shirley Temple's better films and the cast didn'thelp much. There are several actors and actresses in the film that Ilike but they couldn't bring the film through to a good movie. Theacting was so-so and the script didn't help much at all.Stepin Fetchit did well in a non-credited role but didn't save themovie.In addition Frank Morgan seemed to me to be sleepwalking his waythrough his role.Some of the cast did what they could but the vehicle didn't allow themto do what they could.All that said, little Miss Temple did what she did so well and almostmanaged to make it a good movie. She was, however, cast in a mediocrefilm but was still entertaining. Watch it for her performance.I did winced at the blackface ... 70 years DOES make difference.

Bleeding-Skull

18 May 2012

12 out of 4

Dimples is a busker - a street entertainer, and lives in mid-19thcentury New York City's Bowery with her kindhearted but pickpocketingGrandfather, Prof. Eustace Appleby. Dimples is a talented child and ishired to perform at a party in the home of Mrs. Caroline Drew, anelderly widow living in Washington Square. Dimples delights thegathering and charms not only the elderly mistress of the house but hernephew Allen as well, a theatrical producer betrothed to a lovelysociety belle. Allen engages Dimples to perform the role of Little Evain his production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" while Mrs. Drew makes itpossible for Dimples to remain in her genteel home and enjoy itsbenefits. Various complications ensue and Dimples bravely makes thedecision to sacrifice her happiness to return to her slum dwellingGrandfather. Mrs. Drew traces Dimples's whereabouts and convinces Prof.Appleby that his lovely granddaughter deserves something better than alife of poverty and crime in the Bowery. The situation is resolved toeveryone's satisfaction and the film ends with Dimples performing inNew York City's first minstrel show.Another good Shirley Temple film, which is pretty much like BrightEyes, but different.Rated PG.

Angie Maniaci

17 May 2012

What a charming musical!

What a charming musical! Shirley Temple is absolutely adorable. I lovewhen she sings "Get on Board" as Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Her characterisdressed in white. I love plenty of song and dance. It does not make metired at all. What it does, is make me so very happy. The title alone,Dimples, is very charming. Shirley Temple herself as a child has had whatthe title says. That was for quite a long time. I have been very glad ofthat. It is a very old movie, but then again I like old ones. Whateverageyou are, it is a must that you like good movies. This especially holdstruefor most of Temple's films. They are absolutely irresistible. Maybesomeday I'll put on a song-and-dance myself. Who knows? The number "MissDixie-Anna" at the end makes it a great movie. Would I dare to sayanythingelse about the ending? I really don't know for sure. No one wants to knowthat in advance. They want to see for themselves, thank you. Please leteveryone enjoy this really good vehicle of Little Miss Temple.