The Little Colonel (1935)

After Southern belle Elizabeth Lloyd runs off to marry Yankee Jack Sherman, her father, a former Confederate colonel during the Civil War, vows to never speak to her again. Several years ... See full summary »

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

William M. Conselman (screen play), William M. Conselman (adaptation),

Stars:

Shirley Temple, Lionel Barrymore, Evelyn Venable

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Shirley Temple	...	Lloyd Sherman
Lionel Barrymore	...	Colonel Lloyd
Evelyn Venable	...	Elizabeth
John Lodge	...	Jack Sherman
Sidney Blackmer	...	Swazey
Stephen Chase	...	Hull (as Alden Chase)
William Burress	...	Dr. Scott
Frank Darien	...	Nebler
Robert Warwick	...	Colonel Gray
Hattie McDaniel	...	Mom Beck
Geneva Williams	...	Maria
Avonne Jackson	...	May Lily
Nyanza Potts	...	Henry Clay
Bill Robinson	...	Walker

Storyline

After Southern belle Elizabeth Lloyd runs off to marry Yankee Jack Sherman, her father, a former Confederate colonel during the Civil War, vows to never speak to her again. Several years pass and Elizabeth returns to her home town with her husband and young daughter. The little girl charms her crusty grandfather and tries to patch things up between him and her mother.

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Plot Keywords:

civil war | colonel | yankee | little girl | letter | 

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Taglines:

Hail to the conquerer of ten million hearts.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 February 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Mascote do Regimento

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The party scene at the end of the movie was the first time that Shirley Temple was filmed in color. Color shooting required Temple to wear makeup for the first time in any of her films.

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Goofs

During the baptism, the sheet behind and over Henry Clay change between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Elizabeth Lloyd Sherman: [singing] Oh the days are gone when beauty bright my heart's chain wove, / When my dream of life from morn 'till night was love still love. / New hope may bloom and days may come of milder, calmer beam, / But there's nothing half so sweet in life as love's young dream. / Oh there's nothing half so sweet in life as love's young dream.

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Connections

Referenced in Cats Don't Dance (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Wade in the Water"
(uncredited)
(also known as "God's Gwinter Trouble De Water"
Traditional Negro spiritual
Sung by a group of Negro workers

User Reviews

Shirley Temple Marches Away With Movie

Having earned her nickname due to her stubborn temper, THE LITTLE COLONEL courageously tries to reunite her splintered family.

Shirley Temple smiles, pouts, tosses her curly locks and completely runs away with the movie. One of her early family classics, this is an excellent showcase for her tremendous charm & abundant talents. As box-office queen, the mighty moppet would dominate Hollywood during the second half of the 1930's. Never was a despot so welcomed or a tyrant so loved.

As one of the industry's finest character actors, crusty Lionel Barrymore gives the little lady a run for her money. Always entertaining, he knows when to purr or when to roar to maximum effect, even if he doesn't quite eclipse Little Miss Personality.

Hattie McDaniel adds her own unique gifts to the role of Shirley's faithful servant, never allowing her dignity to be demeaned. As always, she is a joy. The legendary Bill Robinson is also on hand, mostly, one suspects, so as to partner Shirley in a couple of dances and they are wonderful, especially in Robinson's signature Staircase Dance. They are perfectly matched - one ramrod straight & ebony, the other tiny & blonde

• and their minutes together on the screen is the stuff of

which movie magic is made.

Evelyn Venable & John Lodge, as Shirley's parents (it's rare for her to have both all the way through a film) do nicely with the romantic angle, but it's kept to a minimum, as is usual in a Temple film, where the spotlight is kept firmly focused on her. Sidney Blackmer appears as a smooth swindler who makes the serious mistake of angering THE LITTLE COLONEL.

Although the film is given good production values by 20th Century Fox, it is the interaction between little Shirley and the other performers which far and away is the most important aspect of the picture.

It should be noted that there are elements of racism in the story line, a not uncommon occurrence in Hollywood films of the 1930's.

The final scene segues into early Technicolor - a pleasant way to end the story.