Search - Stand Up and Cheer! on DVD

Not much to cheer about here

sopera | 02/20/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The film that began Shirley Temple's career at Fox, "Stand Up and Cheer," really isn't much to cheer about. The premise is actually rather fun: In the dark days of the Depression, the US Government decides to form a Department of Amusement to restore joy to the American people through song and dance. Many of the principals, including Madge Evans and Jimmy Durante, are excellent. However, the film is quite dated and several scenes, such as one in which a man is coaxed into a fish tank, are rather offensive. There are only two things that save this film from being a total disaster: the final celebration sequence and the three short scenes with James Dunn and Shirley Temple. Dunn and Temple are both extremely talented and work very well together (they went on to appear together in seveal more films). Their musical number, "Baby Take a Bow," is the film's high point. Dunn, as the quintessential 'tall, dark and handsome' song and dance man, is definitely a charmer, and Temple, at only five years old, handles the choreography with enthusiasm and poise. This is not the best film to buy...try to catch it on TV or watch for the dance routine on a Temple documentary instead."

A Shirley Temple Movie?

lynaynay404 | NY | 03/26/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is the worst Shirley Temple movie I have ever seen. It is not a Shirley Temple movie at all. She is only featured in it at the most, 4 times. The whole movie was silly, but not in a good way. A guy that jumps into a fish tank, a talking penquin, political figures acting like children or gymnast.. The movie was not realistic at all.. Hardly a story line. Just when the plot started to get good (minus the dumb parts), the movie ended! If you get this movie just because you are a Shirley Fan, it is NOT worth it!"

No Shirley? SO WHAT!? Who needs Shirley Temple when you have

sopera | 11/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, so there is too little Shirley Temple to go around. But still, this movie would be just fine without Shirley. I didn't buy it because of her, I got because I LOVE WARNER BAXTER! After June Knight, he is my favorite actor. He carries this film with the usual expertise, but I get a little sad seeing him in these ol' musicals when he used to do such great work in silents. As is typical of most musicals of the 30s, the plot is awfully thin in Stand Up and Cheer. If you are going to buy this because you want to see Shirley Temple, you had better buy Curly Top or Heidi or something, because Shirley Temple is not billed very highly. SHE IS NOT THE STAR! The Stars are Warner Baxter, Madge Evans, Sylvia Froos and James Dunn, the musical dude that I recognized from Take a Chance(1933). I liked that better than this, probably becuase of the story and MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE MUSICAL ACTRESS, THE VIVACIOUS JUNE KNIGHT!! James Dunn is Shirley's dad in this, and he was also with her in some other films. Shirley does one quite cute number in here, Baby, Take a Bow. So buy this if you like Sylvia Froos(Princess of Song) or Waner Bxter, and you'll be satisfied. I am!"