Essentially Shirley Temple's child star career ended with The Blue Bird. After this she was cast in teen roles and eventually young adults. If not the best way to end her child star career and the biggest money maker at the box office it certainly was one expensive way.
Interesting as well because the rumors had it that Darryl Zanuck saw the big money that The Wizard Of Oz made over at MGM with Judy Garland and decided this was action he wanted 20th Century Fox in. So he shot the works financially and the famous Maeterlinck story The Blue Bird was adopted for Shirley Temple.
The Blue Bird is a symbol for good luck and prosperity and one that Shirley and little brother Johnny Russell had has disappeared. A magical fairy played by Jessie Ralph sends them on a journey into an Oz like land with their animated pets, Eddie Collins as their dog and Gale Sondergaard as the cat. Sondergaard is truly interesting, she plays the animated cat like she was being the Spiderwoman and really acts like a fifth columnist for the kids.
The story even resolves itself like the Wizard Of Oz.
The Blue Bird got Oscar nominations for Special Effects, but lost to Alexander Korda's The Thief of Bagdad.
It never came close to raking in its cost for 20th Century Fox. It was the end of Shirley Temple as a child star. Ironically MGM had wanted her for The Wizard Of Oz, but Zanuck wouldn't let her go. It was then they signed Judy Garland who cost L.B.Mayer not a dime as she was under contract.
Seeing it today it's an interesting children's fantasy and may have not gotten the praise it deserved back in the day.
Interesting as well because the rumors had it that Darryl Zanuck saw the big money that The Wizard Of Oz made over at MGM with Judy Garland and decided this was action he wanted 20th Century Fox in. So he shot the works financially and the famous Maeterlinck story The Blue Bird was adopted for Shirley Temple.
The Blue Bird is a symbol for good luck and prosperity and one that Shirley and little brother Johnny Russell had has disappeared. A magical fairy played by Jessie Ralph sends them on a journey into an Oz like land with their animated pets, Eddie Collins as their dog and Gale Sondergaard as the cat. Sondergaard is truly interesting, she plays the animated cat like she was being the Spiderwoman and really acts like a fifth columnist for the kids.
The story even resolves itself like the Wizard Of Oz.
The Blue Bird got Oscar nominations for Special Effects, but lost to Alexander Korda's The Thief of Bagdad.
It never came close to raking in its cost for 20th Century Fox. It was the end of Shirley Temple as a child star. Ironically MGM had wanted her for The Wizard Of Oz, but Zanuck wouldn't let her go. It was then they signed Judy Garland who cost L.B.Mayer not a dime as she was under contract.
Seeing it today it's an interesting children's fantasy and may have not gotten the praise it deserved back in the day.