Jeunesse

The first time I saw this movie when I was a pre-teen, I loved it. It is innocent, real, true to life and I love Charlotte Greenwood and Shirley Temple. I can still see it in my memory.

It looks as if Fox wasn't prepared to spend anything but a B-picture budget on Shirley's last film for the studio. Even the colorized version that popped up several years ago fails to give the picture an A-picture look that it deserved. All the trappings are on a downscale that makes the film little more than a programmer.

Shirley herself is still a talented girl--still the cheerful disposition, dimples and dancing feet--but while her talent is obviously a modest one, it's Charlotte Greenwood and Jack Oakie that are the real pros. Occasionally Shirley meets their standards and this gives the film the lift it needs. But all too often, it's apparent that the charm she had as a tot isn't enough to maintain her pre-teen appeal.

The story is a simple one about a vaudeville couple who adopt a baby girl and then want to retire to the country so she can have a normal life when she's growing up. The conflict comes when the townspeople refuse to accept the showbiz family in their community. Finally, with the help of George Montgomery and Arleen Whelan, the family overcomes all obstacles. A fierce storm sequence toward the end is extremely well done but fails to save the picture from being anything more than an ordinary yarn.

Clever use of Shirley's earlier film footage as a tot is inserted for the "babe on the road" inserts. It's a pleasant enough show but more funding by Fox would have elevated it to A-status.

I like this movie "Young People" but I haven't been able to find it. I pretty much have all Shirley Temple's movies but I can't find this in Video Stores. Will they be getting in more stock on this movie? Every time I go to a video store they say its not on stock or they never heard of it. Can it only be ordered on line or will I be able to get it at a video store? I told my grandchildren about this movie and how they helped people even if they were made fun of. Its a very entertaining movie. I know I can get my grandchildren to sit down and watch this movie. I also enjoy watching Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood. These are good family movies that I've enjoyed and would like my grandchildren to see. Please let me know how I can get this movie. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks, Veronica

This is certainly not a bad film if one accepts the fact that Shirley is growing up. There is a predictability to it, for sure but can anyone deny the all-the-more-so predictability of every Astair-Rogers film? We still love them, don't we? Young People suffers from a mediocrity that gives it a feel of a second rate Andy Hardy film, but it has a way of growing on you. My daughter and wife occasionally can be heard humming "5th Avenue" a very catchy number from the film.

I wonder if anyone out there noticed the scene when Shirley, reading the paper in the parlor, points out casually to her parents that an old show biz acquaintance is going to appear on "television"! This may be the first time the new (very very new) medium is mentioned in a "throw-out" line. Any comments?

This is Shirley Temple's last film under her very successful Twentieth Century-Fox contract. And, sadly, it's NOT among her better films. Part of it is that Shirley now was 12--and no longer the adorable 7 year-old. Most of it, however, was the script--which was rather weak.

The film begins with two show people (Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood) being given a baby. It seems their friend has died and he wanted them to raise the kid. Years pass and the child grows into an adorable show-stopping kid herself (Shirley Temple). During this montage sequence, you see several cute clips of a younger Shirley in previous films. After years of working hard on the road, the family has decided to call it quits and settle down on a farm left to Shirley by her biological parents. However, Oakie and Greenwood REALLY come on very, very strong in this VERY conservative neighborhood. Now these townsfolk are obnoxious old drips---but I also thought that if this family came storming into town like this family did, I might hate them, too. This is a seriously weak part of the film as you were supposed to love Shirley's family and dislike the townsfolk--but I really didn't like any of them. Eventually, however, the family is able to convince everyone how wonderful they are and the film ends--a contrived and weak ending if I've ever seen one. Overall, this film is a time-passer at best. It's not bad but neither is it very good.