Search - LITTLE MISS BROADWAY on DVD

Little Miss Broadway

09/16/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My daughter loves this video - the only drawback to it is that she wants to watch it all the time! She sings and dances along with "Betsy" (Shirley Temple) through the whole movie. It's great for little girls who love to dance and sing."

It's all here in one great big package

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 01/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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.
"

One of Temple's Best

Matthew G. Sherwin | 09/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Shirley Temple shines in this delightful tale of an orphan who saves a hotel,along with a group of aspiring entertainers, from financial ruin. The songs are adorable and the rest of the cast is wonderful including Jimmy Durante. This is one of my personal favorites."

"Little Miss Broadway (1938) ... Shirley Temple ... Legend F

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 08/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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)"