Little Miss Broadway

Infobox Film
name = Little Miss Broadway


image_size = 200px
caption = Original theatrical poster
director = Irving Cummings
producer = Darryl F. Zanuck
writer = Harry Tugend
Jack Yellen
narrator =
starring = Shirley Temple
Edna May Oliver
George Murphy
Phyllis Brooks
music = Film Score:
Louis Silvers
Music:
Harold Spina
Lyrics:
Walter Bullock
cinematography = Arthur C. Miller
editing =
distributor = 20th Century Fox
released = flagicon|USA 29 July 1938
runtime = 70 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id =

"Little Miss Broadway" (1938) is a 20th Century Fox musical comedy feature film starring Shirley Temple in a story about a theatrical boarding house and its occupants. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, directed by Irving Cummings and written by Harry Tugend and Jack Yellen. The film was originally titled "Little Lady of Broadway".

Plot and cast

Orphan Betsy Brown (Shirley Temple) is released into the care of Pop Shea (Edward Ellis), her uncle who runs a boarding house for theatrical performers, including bandleader Jimmy Clayton (Jimmy Durante), animal trainer Ole (El Brendel), a ventriloquist, and a married pair of wisecracking midgets.

Sarah Wendling (Edna May Oliver), the curmudgeon owner and next-door neighbor of the building, detests "show people" and their noise, and demands Pop pay the $2,500 back rent he owes or move out immediately. Her nephew Roger (George Murphy), in love with Pop's daughter Barbara (Phyllis Brooks), is determined to help the occupants, and he files suit against Sarah in order to gain control of the building and his inheritance, with which he plans to stage a show starring the hotel residents. Sarah questions the soundness of Roger's investment in the show, and Betsy convinces the judge to see the production before he decides the case.

With the assistance of her friends, the little girl presents a lavish musical revue in the courtroom that so impresses one of the observers he offers the troupe $2,500 a week to star in his International Follies. Having had a change of heart, Sarah insists the show is worth $5,000 and convinces the impresario to double his offer. Roger and Barbara then announce their intent to wed and adopt Betsy. Cast includes Jane Darwell as Miss Hutchins, Patricia Wilder as Flossie, George Barbier as Fiske, and Donald Meek as Willoughby Wendling.

Production notes

Dances were choreographed by Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer. Executive producer Darryl F. Zanuck allegedly wrote most of the final screenplay. During filming, Eleanor Roosevelt and Joan Crawford visited Shirley Temple on the set. [ [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/title.jsp?stid=81551 "Little Miss Broadway" at Turner Classic Movies] ]

Musical numbers

The six original songs were written by Harold Spina (music) and Walter Bullock (lyrics). All were performed by Temple.
*"Little Miss Broadway"
*"Be Optimistic"
*"How Can I Thank You?"
*"We Should Be Together"
*"If All the World Were Paper"
*"Swing Me an Old Fashioned Song"

Reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Frank S. Nugent said, "The devastating Mistress Temple is slightly less devastating than usual . . . it can't be old age, but it does look like weariness . . . although she performs with her customary gaiety and dimpled charm, there is no mistaking the effort every dimple cost her." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=950DE2D71038EE3ABC4B51DFB1668383629EDE "New York Times" review] ]

"TV Guide" calls it "a delightful Shirley Temple vehicle in which she again does what she does best - portray a singing, dancing, pouting orphan girl." [ [http://www.tvguide.com/movies/little-miss-broadway/review/104414 "TV Guide" review] ]

References