Film Review of Our Little Girl: Shirley Temple in 1935 Drama With Joel McCrea

What gets broken gets fixed in Our Little Girl by writers Arthur J. Beckhard and Stephen Morehouse Avery, producer Edward Butcher, and director John S. Robertson. John F. Seitz; and RH Bassett and Peter Brunelli handle cinematography and music. Filming showcases California’s Lake Sherwood.

The 65-minute drama adapts Florence Leighton Pflazgraf’s (1902-1997) and Allen Rivkin’s (1903-1990) screenplay. Its distributor was Fox Film Corporation. Its NYC-premiere and USA-release dates were May 17 and June 6-7, 1935.

The movie begins with Donald Middleton (Joel McCrea) blaming wife and daughter for missed opportunities in Heidelberg and Vienna. Nurse Sarah Boynton (Erin O’Brien-Moore) helps Don experiment with diphtheria germs and poisonous gases. Elsa (Rosemary Ames) pardons everything except missing May and September Saturday picnics in Heaven’s Gate’s woodlands. The outings remind the couple of their first meetings.

Don asks to reschedule May’s picnic to the following Saturday. He ends up going. Molly (Shirley Temple) enjoys swimming in the stream. While Molly sleeps, Elsa mentions:

• Feeling bored and lonely;

• Resuming nursing.

Rolfe Brent (Lyle Talbot) comes back from Europe. He needs riding companions. Don pleads workaholism. He volunteers Elsa for 10 the next morning.

Don’s experiments go well. He presents results to NYC hospitals. He rejects Elsa’s company.

Don and Elsa dine with Brent. Sarah informs Don of Mrs. Stevens’ emergency. Don leaves. Brent reveals his attraction to Elsa. Elsa shares fond, not romantic, feelings. Don throws tantrums when Elsa thanks Brent for their perfect evening.

Molly asks maid Amy (Margaret Armstrong) for advice. Amy blames Brent for Elsa’s misbehavior and Sarah for Don’s. She indicates that Brent and Sarah need to stop pushing a married couple toward divorce. Molly likes the way that sounds. She tells Brent that her family wants him long gone.

Brent announces his departure. Molly owns up to encouraging Brent’s absence. Elsa plans to divorce Don and marry Brent.

The Guggenheim Foundation awards Don a fellowship. Don feels depressed. Sarah tells him how much she loves him.

On September Saturday, Don and Elsa enjoy watching circus magicians (Gus Van), performers (Poodle Hanneford), and vaudevillians (Jack Donohue). Sarah interrupts with urgent hospital messages. Don leaves Molly with Sarah. Molly sneaks home.

Brent blames Molly for thwarting Elsa’s happiness. Molly gets dog Mr. Smith and runs away. Brent leaves to tell Sarah that Don and Elsa love each other and must reconcile.

Molly and Smithy meet Mr. Tramp (J. Farrell MacDonald). A motorist recognizes Molly. He tells police.

The movie ends with:

• Hobo crying over a missing daughter and directing Don to Heaven’s Gate;

• Don finding Molly swimming;

• Elsa joining.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Staged studio photo of Shirley Temple giving director John S. Robertson direction on the set of OUR LITTLE GIRL 1935.
Our Little Girl was the last film directed by Canadian actor and film director John Stuart Robertson (June 14, 1878-Nov. 5, 1964): Joan Darc @joandarcdoll, via Twitter July 11, 2014, @ https://twitter.com/joandarcdoll/status/487557369090420736

tamara s. "Shirley Temple bed time." YouTube, Nov. 12, 2007, @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pKrNnxrfso

dd235686. "Shirley Temple Our Little Girl Trailer." YouTube, Jan. 16, 2018, @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7DESGfabM

Unincorporated Ventura County community of Lake Sherwood overlooks Lake Sherwood Reservoir.: CameronK23, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Sherwood.jpg