Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938)

Director:

Allan Dwan

Writers:

Karl Tunberg (screenplay) and
Don Ettlinger (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 March 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Drama | Musical

Plot:

Rebecca's Uncle Harry leaves her with Aunt Miranda who forbids her to associate with show people. But...

Plot Keywords:

Talent Scout | Performer | Competition | Radio | Business

Cast

Shirley Temple	...	Rebecca Winstead
Randolph Scott	...	Anthony Kent
Jack Haley	...	Orville Smithers
Gloria Stuart	...	Gwen Warren
Phyllis Brooks	...	Lola Lee
Helen Westley	...	Aunt Miranda Wilkins
Slim Summerville	...	Homer Busby
Bill Robinson	...	Aloysius
Raymond Scott and His Quintet	...	Themselves (as Raymond Scott Quintet)
Alan Dinehart	...	Purvis
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Dr. Hill
Dixie Dunbar	...	Receptionist
Paul Hurst	...	Mug
William Demarest	...	Henry Kipper
Ruth Gillette	...	Melba
Paul Harvey	...	Cyrus Bartlett
Clarence Wilson	...	Jake Singer (as Clarence Hummel Wilson)
Sam Hayes	...	Radio Announcer
Gary Breckner	...	Radio Announcer
Carroll Nye	...	Radio Announcer
Franklin Pangborn	...	Hamilton Montmarcy
William Wagner	...	Reverend Turner
Eily Malyon	...	Mrs. Turner
Mary McCarty	...	Florabelle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lynn Bari	...	Myrtle (uncredited)
Don Craig	...	Quartette Member (uncredited)
Bill Days	...	Quartette Member (uncredited)
Sid Fields	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Esther Howard	...	Mother (uncredited)
Robert Lowery	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Ada Lynn	...	Nasal Child Singer (uncredited)
Arthur McCullough	...	Quartette Member (uncredited)
Arthur Rankin	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Max Smith	...	Quartette Member (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Program Director (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Dwan

Writing credits
Karl Tunberg		(screenplay) and
Don Ettlinger		(screenplay)
Kate Douglas Wiggin		(story)
William M. Conselman		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Ben Markson		contributor to treatment (uncredited)

Produced by
Raymond Griffith	....	associate producer
Jack Jungmeyer	....	assistant producer (uncredited)
Ben Silvey	....	assistant producer (uncredited)
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(photography) (as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
Allen McNeil

Casting by
Phillip Moore		(unit casting director) (uncredited)

Art Direction by
Bernard Herzbrun
Hans Peters

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Gwen Wakeling		(costumes)

Makeup Department
Madge Boyd	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Robert Cowan	....	makeup (uncredited)

Production Management
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	in charge of production
Ed Ebele	....	production manager (uncredited)
W.F. Fitzgerald	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Aaron Rosenberg	....	assistant director
Eli Dunn	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Jack Temple	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Frank E. Hughes	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Eddie Jones	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
George Leverett	....	sound
Bob Bertrand	....	boom man (uncredited)
William Brent	....	assistant sound (uncredited)
Howard McCann	....	cableman (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Brown	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Logan Brown	....	grip (uncredited)
Henry Cronjager Jr.	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joseph LaShelle	....	second camera (uncredited)
Paul Lockwood	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Kenneth McDonald	....	best boy (uncredited)
Earl Nickerel	....	best boy (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hilda Anderson	....	wardrobe girl (uncredited)
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Gertrude Kirkwood	....	wardrobe woman (uncredited)
Ernest Rotchy	....	wardrobe man (uncredited)

Editorial Department
John Griffith	....	cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Mack Gordon	....	music and lyrics by
Arthur Lange	....	musical director
Sidney D. Mitchell	....	music and lyrics by
Samuel Pokrass	....	music and lyrics by (as Sam Pokrass)
Lew Pollack	....	music and lyrics by
Harry Revel	....	music and lyrics by
Raymond Scott	....	music and lyrics by
Jack Yellen	....	music and lyrics by

Other crew
Nick Castle	....	dances staged by
Geneva Sawyer	....	dances staged by
Tom Morrissey	....	follow-up man (uncredited)
Stanley Scheuer	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century-Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1938) (USA) (theatrical) (released through) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• 20th Century Fox (1938) (France) (theatrical)
• Deutsche Fox-Film (1938) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox-Film (1938) (Germany) (theatrical) (Ostmark)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Triage Motion Picture Services  restoration (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:G (1994) | USA:Approved (PCA #3799)

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

According to the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors Association (MPPDA), 22-year-old assistant director Jack Temple was Shirley Temple's older brother.

Goofs:

Plot holes: On her first-ever radio broadcast, Rebecca (whom no one has ever heard of) sings a medley of her "greatest hits."

Quotes:

Tony Kent:Nice of you to show up for the broadcast.
Lola Lee:Darling, don't be that way.
Tony Kent:I suppose I should cheer when you miss a rehearsal.
Lola Lee:Now you know how I feel when you keep me waiting.
Tony Kent:Miss Warren, Miss Lee. Miss Lee is an old friend.
Gwen Warren:How do you do, Miss Lee?
Lola Lee:Hello, Miss Warren. I've always wanted to meet a farmer's daughter.
Gwen Warren:If I had known you were coming, I'd have worn my sunbonnet.
Tony Kent:And this is Rebecca, the star of our program.
Lola Lee:Oh, isn't she cute? How old are you, little girl?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bachelor Father: Bentley and the Social Worker (#1.13)" (1958)

Soundtrack:

Animal Crackers in My Soup

Surprisingly good!

Lately, I have watched a bunch of Shirley Temple movies. I used to think they were all very schmaltzy, but this isn't always the case. Plus, since she was such a lovable and adorable child, even a bit of schmaltz manages to work. Of the dozen or so Temple films I've seen in the last month, I would place "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" among the very best. And, after over 70 years, it's still very enjoyable.

This film begins with Rebecca being shuttled about by her no-good uncle (William Demarest) from one audition to another. At the final audition, Rebecca wows the producer (Randolph Scott) and sponsor but the dumb assistant (Jack Haley) tells the girl that she was rejected when she really wasn't. At the end of their ropes, the uncle dumps the child on her aunt--an old grouch living at Sunnybrook Farm. The aunt is happy to take the child and Rebecca soon endears herself to everyone (big surprise). In a coincidence you'll only see in movies, her new neighbor happens to be the producer--who has been frantically searching for the child for his show. But, when he eventually discovers who she is, the aunt is not about to let the girl 'ruin her life by going into show business'! What's next? See the film.

While the film has almost nothing to do with the novel "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm", it manages to work very, very well. Much of it is the writing--the script has a nice sense of humor and is better written than normal. In addition, a wonderful supporting cast helps by not placing all the film on the shoulders of little Shirley. In addition to Haley, Demarest and Scott, Gloria Stuart, Slim Summerville and Bill Robinson round out the cast. Overall, a treat--a Shirley Temple film that manages to make you smile and keeps the saccharine level in check. Well worth your time. Plus, it made my wife laugh and smile throughout--a positive statement indeed as she's even more cynical than me when it comes to films.