The Littlest Rebel

I just finished watching this film with my 7 year old daughter and I am utterly astonished at this young girls gifts. Being a "Mr. Mom", I have come to know what a little girl is capable of, mine as well as neighborhood children, and I can say that young Shirley was far more than just exceptional in many ways. This film certainly puts her to the test and she comes through with flying colors. Her beauty is captivating and her natural charm is startling. Her line delivery is perfect. When faced with bad news, watch as she slowly girds herself to receive it. It's as though she truly believes it herself and cannot contain her emotions. When tears finally fly, it's hard to not want to reach through the screen and comfort her, especially when she is pleading her case to President Lincoln.

As a professional musician I am astonished at her near perfect execution of complex syncopated dance routines with Bill Robinson. It is evident that she is really having fun during these numbers and surely was an attentive student. When she sings, her voice, although not a trained voice (thank goodness) is right on pitch. It is a natural, pleasant voice, free of any coaching. She really sings the lyric, (something that most "pro" singers could stand a lesson in) and not just the song. I never really stopped to listen to "Believe me if all these endearing young charms" but her non-treatment forced me to hear it. It's a very touching song.

How I would enjoy a chat with her to pick her brain. She really was a "perfect storm" as child stars go and I will certainly be screening more of her films....for my...AHEM...daughter, of course.

The thing which is racist about the film is not that it sets out to show anything evil about the black people - Shirley seems to be quite fond of her slaves, unless of course they do something wrong - but in the subtle way it suggests there was nothing wrong with the situation the Deep South was in before the civil war.

The black people are not only less intelligent than the whites (notice the girl so dumb she can't even remember a single line her mother told her to memorise to impress the young white child star - or perhaps she's just so nervous in the presence of the superior species that she can't remember), but they're completely happy being enslaved.

They absolutely love being told what to do by the six year old landowner's daughter, and the neighbourhood slaves just wait around for young Shirley to lavish some attention on them.

The thing I most regret about the film was that they forced the blacks to dance and entertain their white hosts like a bunch of chained elephants or circus freaks.

Its always a bad sign when the civil war is portrayed as a distruption to the desired state of affairs, as it is here and in Gone with the Wind.

1/5

Only youngsters, who don't yet understand that the only difference between white folks and black folks is skin pigment, which only evolved from a group of people living in an ultra-sunny climate for years, will be able to enjoy this film. But perhaps its better for society if you don't show it to them - the young are so impressionable, after all.

UPDATE: Can I point out that I've noticed people don't like this review, and I'm not surprised; its intentions were so innocent, it feels a shame to accuse it of causing offense, but unfortunately, I'd still suggest this one not be shown to impressionable kids for the reasons I have outlined above.

The Littlest Rebel is probably one of Shirley Temple's infamous and most controversial movie that she has starred in. It is extremely sympathetic toward the Confederate side of the Civil War but the eternal charm that Shirley Temple gives in each of her movies can't help being repressed.

The story is simple. Shirley T plays a little Southern girl named Virgie Cary a adorable moppet who seems to hold the social graces that would put Emily Post to shame. Because she is so cute and polite, everyone finds her irresistible. Oh! She is also a TERRIFIC tap dancer to boot! One sunny afternoon (April 12th) while she is celebrating her birthday, news flies in the door that Fort Sumter was fired upon and The War between the States has begun! Virgie is the child of Southern parents on a beautiful plantation with the happiest bunch of slaves that you ever seen---so we know what side her father will fight for.

Life for Virgie changes somewhat after that. Like any child in the Civil War, she misses her father who has gone off to battle. But Virgie has incredible spunk and bravery when she confronts the "Yankee" army and actually seems to want to do battle with them when some of the soldiers get mean with her and try to steal from her home and pushes her mother roughly down the stairs. Luckily, her bravery and stubborn pluck captures the heart of a Union Commander who later tries to help her father. When Virgie's mother is stricken with an illness and dies, her father is captured and the kind Union Commander is also implicated. There is only one person who can save them....Can Virgie charm the socks off of Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C and get a reprieve for them? African American's will not view this movie favorably because it shows a preposterous view of the treatment of slavery. The slaves seemed so happy that they don't want to leave. The Cary's seem to be kind slave owners---the slave quarters are furnished tastefully like a roadside motel. There are no beatings or mention of abuses. Of course, there are dreadful black stereotypes like John Henry.

But the most interesting actor besides Shirley T is Bill "Bojangles" Robinson whom I consider one of the greats in tap dancing. Temple and Robinson enjoyed a very close friendship outside the studio. It was said when Temple saw Bill Robinson on a movie set, she had a mad compulsion to run up to him, take him by the hand, tug at him and look into his eyes and smile. When Bill Robinsonlooked down and saw her tugging at his hand, he couldn't resist her childish charm and smiled back at her. Temple maintained that "Uncle Billy" was the one adult who never treated her like a child but as an equal adult. Robinson said that Temple was one of the most talented young person when it came to dance--all he had to do was show her a routine twice and she picked it up immediately. Robinson also displayed a fatherly protective figure with Temple. A story was said that when Temple married John Agar, Robinson congratulated him but said "Be good to my little girl or I'll kill you" If you watch the interaction between these two on film, you could see Shiley Temple's eyes light up like a Christmas tree. I am sure that they felt some type of respect for each other off screen that carried into their outside lives. Relationships between black and white actors were not forbidden at that time but they were not encouraged. But we could say Temple and Robinson have been dubbed the first inter-racial couple on screen.

Despite the false picture of slavery, The Littlest Rebel entertains us thanks to the talents of Bill Robinson and Shirley Temple. There is a tap dancing scene halfway in the picture that can't be missed. Sure, the plot is campy and corny, and Shirley's sugar sweet demure is gut wrenching---but for some reason it entertains.

There are two very good opportunities afforded by this film. One, it's entertaining, fast-paced, and Shirley really shines.

The second is a chance to talk to your children about the way black characters and white characters interact in this film. Some younger children may be confused by the divide between the black characters and the white characters (especially those who attend racially-diverse schools,) but this is a good time to explain to them the racist attitudes of the time period, and ask them how it makes them feel.

The best way to combat racism is not to sweep it under the rug, but to teach children where we were, how far we've come, and how far we still need to go. Give children the credit they deserve, they will understand.

This film is a perfect opportunity to relate to your children and instill guidance.

This was the first Shirley Temple movie I ever watched (on VSH....hey, I'm not THAT old) and I still consider it one of her best.

That's because it has a great mixture of drama, comedy, song/dance and suspense. Almost all the characters are likable. The two dances scenes with Temple and Bill Robinson are excellent....a joy to watch. I don't know if Shirley ever looked cuter than in this film. She runs the gamut of emotions in here quite frequently.

The 74-minute story never has a lull. John Boles and Karen Moreley are people you root for, Willie Best provides good comedy and there is a surprising amount of suspense.

Overall, however, this is simply a sweet, sentimental film that leaves you feeling good after watching it.....and what's wrong with that?