In her lavish period costumes, Shirley Temple is the delightful heroine of the appealing Civil War adventure, spiced with humor, fun and several rousing song-and-dance duets with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Virgie (Temple)... more », the young daughter of a Confederate soldier (John Boles), inadvertently causes her father's arrest after he sneaks through enemy lines to visit his ill wife (Karen Morley). When Virgie learns her father and a kind Northern officer (Jack Holt) have been sentenced to death, she immediately takes off for a little chat with President Lincoln.« less
"I bought several Shirley Temple movies for my kids (2 yrs, 3 yrs, and a blind 15 yr old). I was hoping for lots of music, singing & dancing, and was highly disapointed in several of the movies. Of the 10 Temple movies we currently own, The Little Rebel and Curly Top are the only 2 that are getting worn out from repetitive viewings. The kids love this one and so do Dad and I!! While watching this movie, the kids get up and start dancing all around. I have to re-wind the dance numbers over and over so they can see them again. In-fact, they have become so interested in dancing that I bought them tap shoes for their birthday! Great entertainment for the whole family!"
Littlest Sweetheart
ilovemydog | TX, USA | 01/31/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This beautiful Shirley Temple story is simply wonderful-- with lots of songs, dramatic scenes, and dances with Bojangles this VHS is well worth it's pricetag. If your a fan of Shirley or "The Little Colonel" then you'll love this movie! With the wonderful Bojangles(from the The Little Colonel) and James Bole(Curly Top) you'll love this movie.
In this film Shirley plays Virgie a very determined, strong-willed girl who lives in the South when the war breaks-- suddenly Virgie is struggling with her mom to survive as her father serves as a spy for the Confederettes-- while have there house pillared by Yankees who routinely visit looking for Shirley's dad. When Shirley's mom tragically dies-- Shirley's dad makes the vow never to have his child "leave his arms again" with the help of a friendly yankee Shirley and her dad make an attempt to go to Richmond to stay with an aunt in her home- only problem getting through yankee lines. When Shirley and her father are captured. Shirley's father and the kind yankee are sentanced to execution. The only way to save them is up to Shirley as she goes to ask Abe Lincoln "You won't let them kill my daddy will you."
A heartful and one of my favorite Shirley and Civil War movies of all time. This movie shows off all that talent with her dramatic acting ability, lovable songs, and wonderful dance scenes with one of the greatest dancers of all time. This movie is a keeper to own in your family movie collection. This is a great Civil War story since it dosn't really chose either side of the war and it gives a view that makes you feel in the end no one wins. With great acting and all that talent you can't loose when you buy this treasure! Watch this movie and see America's "Littlest Charmer.""
Very good!!!!
ilovemydog | 07/02/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I thought it was a very good movie. Shirley's tap dancing and singing made the movie more exciting!!!! Irecommend this movie to anyone!!!!!!"
Shirley Temple as Virgie
Rebekah A. Lane | USA | 10/14/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Virgie, a brave Southern girl with a big heart is caught in a world turned upside down as the Civil War seperates her from her doting father, Captin Cary (John Boles). As a scout for the Confederate army, Cary visits his family's now run down plantation when possible . . . but it becomes more and more dangerous as Union Soldiers tighten their grip on the neighborhood. Mrs. Cary does her best to manage the plantation, with the assistance of their cooporative slaves. Especially fun loving "Uncle Billy", and his hilarious side-kick, "James Henry". But then a battle takes place near their genteel mansion, and they lose their home. Uncle Billy sets off to find his master, and brings him back to his ill wife. While at home, the Union Soldiers come searching for him. Can a sympathising Union Colonel and Virgie with her youthful innocence save him now? Only a visit to Washington can tell. This is one of my favorite Shirley Temple movies. There are several cute song and dance recitals with Shirley and "Mr. Bojangles", and the simple minded "James Henry" provides comic relief for what could otherwise be a depressing movie (war time movies can sometimes be that way). The only dissapointment for me was that John Bole's role as Captin Cary left something to be desired. It was slightly less convincing than in Curly Top. I definately reccomend this."
Temple at the top of her game
Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 05/11/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"One of Shirley Temple's first movies for the newly-amalgamated Twentieth Century-Fox Pictures in 1935 was THE LITTLEST REBEL (based on an earlier play by Edward Peple).
Set in the South during the Civil War, THE LITTLEST REBEL gave audiences another chance to enjoy Temple in a similarly-themed story to "The Little Colonel" (released earlier in 1935 to great acclaim).
In THE LITTLEST REBEL, Shirley Temple plays spunky little Virginia Carey--known as Virgie to her friends. Dearly loved by everybody, Virgie accidentally causes untold tragedy for her father (John Boles), a Confederate soldier, when he's caught sneaking through enemy territory in a bid to see his ill wife (Karen Morley). It looks like curtains for Virgie's Pa, until the enterprising moppet decides to take matters into her own hands...
Temple is reunited with her "Curly Top" co-star John Boles, plus Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Karen Morley and Jack Holt also turn in fine support. The score includes "Polly-Wolly Doodle", "Believe Me", and "Dixie".
The DVD includes both B&W and computer-colourised versions of the film."