Dimples (1936)

Dimples Appleby lives with the pick-pocket grandfather in 19th century New York City. She entertains the crowds while he works his racket. A rich lady makes it possible for the girl to go legit. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is performed.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Arthur Sheekman (screen play), Nat Perrin (screen play),

Stars:

Shirley Temple, Frank Morgan, Robert Kent

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shirley Temple	...	Dimples Appleby
Frank Morgan	...	Prof. Eustace Appleby
Robert Kent	...	Allen Drew
Helen Westley	...	Mrs. Caroline Drew
Stepin Fetchit	...	Cicero
Astrid Allwyn	...	Cleo Marsh
Brook Byron	...	Betty Loring (as Delma Byron)
Hall Johnson Choir	...	Choir (as The Hall Johnson Choir)
Berton Churchill	...	Colonel Loring
Paul Stanton	...	Mr. St. Clair
Julius Tannen	...	Hawkins
John Carradine	...	Richards
Billy McClain	...	Rufus
Jack Clifford	...	Uncle Tom
Betty Jean Hainey	...	Topsy

Storyline

Dimples is a busker - a street entertainer, and lives in mid-19th century New York City's Bowery with her kindhearted but pickpocketing Grandfather, Prof. Eustace Appleby. Dimples is a talented child and is hired to perform at a party in the home of Mrs. Caroline Drew, an elderly widow living in Washington Square. Dimples delights the gathering and charms not only the elderly mistress of the house but her nephew Allen as well, a theatrical producer betrothed to a lovely society belle. Allen engages Dimples to perform the role of Little Eva in his production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" while Mrs. Drew makes it possible for Dimples to remain in her genteel home and enjoy its benefits. Various complications ensue and Dimples bravely makes the decision to sacrifice her happiness to return to her slum dwelling Grandfather. Mrs. Drew traces Dimples's whereabouts and convinces Prof. Appleby that his lovely granddaughter deserves something better than a life of poverty and crime in the Bowery. The...

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | 19th century | minstrel show | street entertainer | slum | 

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Genres:

Family | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Bowery Princess

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two lines in the end cast list credits are subject to two different interpretations: "Children's Band ... Leonard Kibrick Warner," and "Walter and George Weidler." The IMDb cast lists 3 actors: Leonard Kibrick Warner, Walter Weidler and George Weidler. However, The AFI Catalogue lists 4 actors: Leonard Kibrick, Warner Weidler, Walter Weidler and George Weidler.

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Goofs

The film takes place in the early 1850s. Towards the end, in a scene set in a theater, the producer announces to the audience that "a new form of entertainment has come from the South," and he would like to be the first to present it in New York City. We then see a minstrel show. But by that time minstrel shows had been staged in New York for a decade, since the Virginia Minstrels performed at the New York Bowery Amphitheatre in 1843.

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Quotes

Dimples: Why did you take that clock?
Prof. Eustace Appleby: Clock? What clock? I remember no clock.
Dimples: The one you put your hat over. I saw you.
Prof. Eustace Appleby: Why, of course not. You ought to know that I wouldn't take a small clock like that. I - I mean, I wouldn't take any clock, large or small. After all, my dear child, I'm a musician, not a thief.
Dimples: All right, Professor.

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Connections

Referenced in Cats Don't Dance (1997)

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Soundtracks

"He Was a Dandy"
(1936) (uncredited)
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Ted Koehler
Sung and Danced by Shirley Temple and Danced by Jesse Scott and Thurman Black

User Reviews

slow, rarely interesting

I usually really like watching the old and charming Shirley Temples. But this one, Dimples, just simply isn´t a very good movie. Some fairly good actors are in it but all together it´s very tiring and unrealistic little film. Shirley´s charisma just doesn´t hit it this time. And when it doesn´t hit, the only thing that shows is her acting which is not anything special. The only quite good thing is the songs and dance rutines but other wise: boring. Also it just shines out how bad possition black actors had in Hollywood on the 30s. This is not Shirley´s best, watch Curly top or The Little Princess instead.