CURLY TOP

Curly Top
Fox Films, 1935, B/W, 75 minutes, ***
Released August 1935

One of Shirley's most-loved films - another remake of "Daddy Longlegs." The film finds the orphaned moppett living with her sister in an orphan home. One of the members of the board of directors is wealthy lawyer Boles, who decides to adopt the two girls anonymously. He falls in love with Hudson, but wins her only after she has a short-lived romance with playboy Murphy. Boles sings the title tune and "It's All So New to Me," and Rochelle Hudson sings "The Simple Things in Life." Fun film packed with some of Shirley's best numbers, including "Animal Crackers in My Soup" and "When I Grow Up" (wonderfully reprised by Billy Gilbert and Arthur Treacher!).

Produced by: Winfield Sheehan
Directed by: Irving Cummings
Screen Play by: Patterson McNutt, Arthur Beckhard
Music by: Ray Henderson
Lyrics by: Ted Koehler, Edward Heyman and Irving Caesar
Musical Director: Oscar Bradley
Dances: Jack Donohue
Art Director: Jack Otterson
Gowns: Rene Hubert
Sound: Eugene Grossman
Photography: John Seitz
Film Editor: Jack Murray

Cast: Shirley Temple [Elizabeth Blair], John Boles [Edward Morgan], Rochelle Hudson [Mary Blair], Jane Darwell [Mrs. Denham], Rafaela Ottiano [Mrs. Higgins], Esther Dale [Aunt Genevieve Graham], Etienne Girardot [Mr. Weckoff], Maurice Murphy [Jimmie Rogers], Arthur Treacher [Butler], Billy Gilbert [Cook]

Musical Program: [0:00] Overture (played by Orchestra behind titles); [0:11] Animal Crackers in My Soup (Shirley Temple); [0:29] It's All So New to Me (John Boles); [0:47] Hula number (short excerpt danced by Shirley Temple); [0:51] The Simple Things in Life (Rochelle Hudson); [0:54] When I Grow Up (sung and danced by Shirley Temple made up as a 16-year old, a bride and an old lady); [1:08] When I Grow Up (reprised by Arthur Treacher and Billy Gilbert); [1:10] Curly Top (sung by John Boles, danced by Shirley Temple on piano top); [1:15] Curly Top (instrumental following end credits)