Just Around the Corner

This is a pretty entertaining Shirley Temple movie. Basically, Shirley singlehandedly ends of the Great Depression. Sure, it's unrealistic, but does anyone really expect a Shirley Temple movie to be a display of stark realism? Shirley was still cute, there were good musical numbers, and a good deal of funny scenes (aka run-ins with Mr. Waters). It's not a serious movie; it's just plain fun.

"Just Around the Corner" is strictly Shirley Temple 101. Paul Girard Smith's short story "Lucky Penny" (a much better title!) becomes an unlucky vehicle for the pint-sized star, here portraying the daughter of a financially-strapped architect during the Depression. Through some comically-contrived misunderstandings, Shirl comes to believe her father's boss is actually Uncle Sam--and sets out to solve not only her papa's problems, but the nation's as well! Forgettable bubblegum nonsense, though one with an elaborate production and some energy from supporting players Bert Lahr, Joan Davis, and Bill Robinson. ** from ****

A precocious little moppet mistakes a misanthropic tycoon for Uncle Sam. She believes that by helping the old fellow, Depression woes will cease for her father and the country JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

This friendly, fanciful film was exactly what the nation needed to help it forget economic hard times. Shirley Temple is bright & cheerful, as always, and never fails to amuse. The talents which made her Hollywood's top box office draw for years are abundantly on display. Legendary Bill `Bojangles' Robinson is on hand with 3 of his celebrated dance routines. Watch, when he dances with Shirley, how she matches him step for step - a marvelous terpsichorean treat.

Comedy is handled by Bert Lahr, Joan Davis (why aren't they included in the climactic Benefit show?) & especially Franklin Pangborn, in his glory as the quintessential harried apartment manager. Charles Farrell, a big star himself a few years previous, does a fine job as Shirley's dad, while Claude Gillingwater once again has fun with the part of a crotchety, rich old man. Cora Witherspoon scores as a society snob.

Movie mavens will recognize Charles Williams as a persistent photographer & Leonard Kibrick as Shirley's tough kid friend.

Shirley, with help from Miss Davis, Lahr & Bojangles, sings & dances her way through `This Is A Happy Little Ditty' & `Just Around The Corner'.

I would agree with other reviewers who felt this was a mediocre Shirley Temple outing--neither particularly good nor particularly bad. It's worth seeing, however, some might have a hard time stomaching the schmaltz and propaganda--the film does lay it on pretty thick.

The film begins with Shirley being taken from her boarding school and sent home. It seems her father (no mention is EVER made of the mother, by the way) has lost his fortune and cannot afford to keep her in the school. But, as Shirley is MORE optimistic and chipper than Pollyanna or Ned Flanders, she sees this as all a grand adventure. Through the course of the film, she remains unabashedly optimistic and does her best to make everyone have a happily ever after--even the nasty old man she refers to as 'Uncle Sam'! I liked and disliked the film. The humor was very sweet and you can't help loving Shirley. Additionally, the theme song throughout the film is very peppy and you'll most likely find yourself humming along with it. But, on the other hand, the optimism angle wore a bit thin, as did the stuff about Uncle Sam and the Depression. In fact, it came off, at times, as pure propaganda. Had the intent been disguised a bit, it would have made it all less obvious.

If you do see the film, pay attention to the fund-raiser at the end. Shirley had a huge bag of nickels from all the kids who paid to see it. However, when you see the ridiculous sets and costumes, the kids should have paid at least $100 a ticket to break even!! Silly, but also kind of funny.

Additionally, look for Charles Farrell in a rare starring appearance. Although Farrell was arguably the most famous male star of the late silent age, by 1938 his career was pretty much over in Hollywood. Why? I have no idea nor is there any indication why on his IMDb page. Also, this is the fourth and final film pairing Shirley and Bill Robinson--and to watch them dance, that's more than enough reason to watch the movie.

JUST AROUND THE CORNER (20th Century-Fox, 1938), directed by Irving Cummings, stars Shirley Temple in what might be her only venture into "screwball comedy," and reportedly her first box-office flop. Temple plays Penny Hale, a child who returns home from boarding school to her prominent architect father (Charles Farrell), unemployed and now living in a basement of the same skyscraper in which they used to live in style up in the penthouse. Amanda Duff, a new Fox starlet at the time, is featured as Farrell's love interest.

Songs by Walter Bullock and Harold Spina include: "Just Around the Corner" (sung during opening credits); "This is a Happy Little Ditty" (sung by Shirley Temple, with Joan Davis, Bert Lahr/danced by Bill Robinson and Temple); "Brass Buttons and Apple-Lass" (sung and danced by Bill Robinson and doormen); and the lively tune, "I Like to Walk in the Rain" (sung by Temple/danced by Temple and Robinson).

Aside from familiar character actors in the supporting cast, featuring the likes of Franklin Pangborn and Cora Witherspoon (who later appeared opposite WC Fields in 1940s THE BANK DICK), along with Joan Davis and Bert Lahr as maid and chauffeur, some of the comedy strains for laughs. Shirley was about 10 years old when this movie was made, and recites lines and lands herself in comedic situations that would have performed better if she were a few years younger. Instead of being cute, she appears more silly than charming, sorry to say. The dance numbers in which she participates with Bill Robinson, as the building doorman, are still good but not given enough screen time to make amends for trite storyline. As with Temple's previous LITTLE MISS Broadway (1938), JUST AROUND THE CORNER plays at "B" movie length of 70 minutes, both giving some indication of it being longer, and having gone through some tight film editing process. Joan Davis whose name is billed second after Temple, disappears before the movie is half way over. What became of her? Maybe she and Lahr, who are very amusing together, had more to do, even in a supposed production number in a charity benefit near the film's end that possibly got the ax. Maybe deleted scenes such as the this might turn up as part of a documentary on 20th Century-Fox movies or Shirley Temple's career in the similar fashion to American Movie Classic's well constructed HIDDEN Hollywood (From the vaults of 20th Century-Fox) specials that premiered in the mid 1990s. Charles Farrell, billed third, as Temple's (supposedly) widowed father, had seen better days in his career at the old Fox Film Studios when he achieved popularity as the romantic leading man opposite Janet Gaynor in 12 feature films from 1927 to 1934. He was by then a name of the past whose movie career came to an end by 1941. And Shirley gets to share screen time opposite a boy actor, Bennie Bartlett, playing a rich "momma's boy" named Milton with curls and glasses, but with the encouragement by little Penny, Milton earns respect from his "Uncle Sam" (Claude Gillingwater Sr.) by losing those "girly" curls (Penny had given him a much needed haircut), and getting a black eye in a fight with a bully. Aside from that, Temple continues to play her usual "little miss fix it."

JUST AROUND THE CORNER, available on video cassette in both black and white and colorized versions since the late 1980s, appeared as part of Shirley Temple festivals on the Disney Channel in the early 1990s, followed by American Movie Classics cable channel from 1996 to 2001, and the Fox Movie Channel, where it is currently shown. (**)