It is hard to imagine a world where a seven-year-old child is the biggest economic engine of a multi-million dollar industry, but that was exactly the reality for 20th Century Fox in 1936. People were broke. The Great Depression was grinding the spirit out of the American public, and yet, they were still finding fifteen cents to go see a little girl with corkscrew curls. While most fans remember the "Good Ship Lollipop" era, the shirley temple dimples movie (officially titled Dimples) holds a fascinating, somewhat gritty place in her filmography that many modern viewers overlook.
Released in October 1936, this wasn't just another sugary musical. It was a calculated piece of escapism set in the 1850s Bowery of New York City. Honestly, it is a bit of a weird setup for a family film. You’ve got Shirley playing Sylvia "Dimples" Appleby, a street performer who basically acts as a front for her grandfather’s pickpocketing ring. Yeah, you read that right. Her grandfather, played by the legendary Frank Morgan (the Wizard of Oz himself), is a professional thief.
The Gritty Charm of the Shirley Temple Dimples Movie
Most people expect Shirley Temple movies to be all sunshine and tap shoes. Dimples delivers the talent, sure, but the backdrop is surprisingly bleak. It’s New York before the Civil War. It’s a world of "buskers" and con men. Shirley's character is essentially a breadwinner for a man who can’t stop stealing cuckoo clocks and silk handkerchiefs.
Critics at the time weren't always kind. Some panned it for having "little meat on its bones," but they missed the point. Audiences didn't want a gritty Scorsese-style drama; they wanted to see Shirley outwit the adults and melt the heart of a cold, wealthy widow.
The plot kicks into high gear when a rich woman named Caroline Drew (Helen Westley) gets charmed by Dimples. She wants to take the kid in and give her a "proper" life, which naturally creates a massive conflict for the young girl who loves her thieving grandpa. It’s a classic Temple trope: the lovable waif who bridges the gap between the upper class and the destitute.
What Really Happened on the Set
If you think the sweetness on screen translated to the actors behind the scenes, you’re in for a surprise. There was actually a lot of friction during filming. Frank Morgan was a seasoned character actor, and Shirley Temple was... well, she was a force of nature.
According to Temple’s own memoirs and historical accounts from the set, she and Morgan were constantly trying to "steal" scenes from each other.
- Morgan would "accidentally" move his stovepipe hat to block Shirley’s face from the camera lights.
- He’d fiddle with a handkerchief near her eye level to draw the audience's gaze away from her.
- Shirley, not one to be outdone at age seven, would yawn or scratch her face during his big lines.
She even admitted to jiggling a fishing pole in the background of a scene where Morgan was supposed to be the focus. It was a professional rivalry between a grown man and a child. Hilarious, but also a testament to how seriously she took her craft even then.
Why 1936 Was a Turning Point
By the time the shirley temple dimples movie hit theaters, Shirley had been the number one box office draw for two years straight. She was beating out Clark Gable. She was beating out Bing Crosby.
The studio was essentially printing money. They were releasing four or five movies a year featuring her. Dimples was her third feature of 1936 alone. This high-speed production schedule is why some of the writing feels a bit formulaic today. The studio knew exactly what worked:
- Give her a parent or guardian who is "troubled" but lovable.
- Let her perform a song-and-dance number that stops the show.
- Have her solve a complicated adult problem through sheer innocence.
In Dimples, this "show-stopping" moment happens when they stage a production of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Shirley plays Little Eva. It’s a segment of the film that is a bit of a "time capsule" moment—it features minstrel show elements that are deeply uncomfortable to modern eyes. However, historians often point out that Temple was one of the few stars of the era who regularly performed alongside Black actors like Bill "Bojangles" Robinson with a genuine sense of equality and friendship, even if the scripts themselves were stuck in the 1930s status quo.
The Financial Magic of Those Dimples
It wasn't just about the ticket sales. The shirley temple dimples movie era coincided with a massive merchandising boom.
- Shirley Temple dolls (which cost about $4.50—a fortune back then) accounted for nearly a third of all doll sales in the U.S. in 1935 and 1936.
- There were coloring books, soap, sheet music, and even "look-alike" contests in every major city.
- President Franklin Roosevelt famously said that as long as the country had Shirley Temple, "we’ll be all right."
Basically, she was a one-child stimulus package.
Looking Back: Is It Still Worth Watching?
If you can get past the 1930s-era tropes and the somewhat thin plot, Dimples is actually a masterclass in child acting. Shirley Temple wasn't just "cute." She was a technical marvel. She could hit her "marks" on the floor better than most adults because she could feel the heat of the lights on her skin. She memorized everyone’s lines, not just her own.
The film's ending, which features a full-scale musical number in a New York minstrel show, is technically impressive even if the historical context is fraught. You see her precision in tap dancing and her ability to hold a screen against veterans like Frank Morgan.
Actionable Ways to Experience This History
If you're a film buff or a history nerd, don't just watch the movie as a piece of "cute" fluff.
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- Compare the Performances: Watch Frank Morgan in Dimples and then watch him in The Wizard of Oz. You can see him using similar "bumbling" mannerisms that he likely refined while trying to keep up with Shirley.
- Look for the "Sparkle": Shirley's mother, Gertrude, famously coached her to "sparkle" before every take. If you look closely at her eyes when the camera zooms in, you can see that conscious shift in energy.
- Check the Background: The sets for 1850s New York in this movie were quite expensive for the time. Look at the detail in the Bowery scenes—Fox was pouring money into these productions because they knew the ROI was guaranteed.
The shirley temple dimples movie remains a fascinating artifact of a time when Hollywood used the innocence of a child to keep a nation from falling into total despair. It’s a bit messy, a bit weird, and a whole lot of talented.
To truly understand the Shirley Temple phenomenon, you have to look beyond the "Good Ship Lollipop." Start by tracking down a restored version of Dimples—many are available on streaming services or through classic film archives—and pay attention to the scene-stealing battle between her and Frank Morgan. It tells you more about the "Golden Age" of Hollywood than any textbook ever could.