Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

A Non-Review by Prof. Popinjay

It’s fascinating to me how the regard for a film can be so based on time and chance. So many films didn’t do well simply because of the other films against which they were forced to compete at the time they were in theatres. Other times some stigma or strange idea is wrapped around an actor or actress that might tarnish the film.

“Miss Annie Rooney” is one such film. The problem when this film was first released was the typecasting of its main protagonist. Shirley Temple was a teenager now. She was no longer a tap-dancing tot. Bojangles would not appear in this film with her. The public apparently wouldn’t accept Shirley as anything else and so the film flopped.

Another aspect to which we might be oblivious today is the fact that this film’s language and slang was terribly dated when it came out. “Little Annie Rooney” (as the original book was titled) was not a particularly new book and it seems it was not updated even for its contemporary audience. Nowadays we wouldn’t likely notice this distinction as to us the language would be dated just because this film is so old.

But seeing this film without these sensibilities is a luxury we have as we view this film in modern times. Frankly, this is a fine story and Shirley Temple’s dramatic acting is more than passable. Several other actors her age appeared in the film and were all quite convincing. I really didn’t have a single problem with this film.

The story was a little frustrating but not because of bad writing or some plot hole. Annie Rooney’s father, Tim, is just kind of an unreliable visionary and repeatedly messes things up for her. I suppose it all works out in the end but that’s kind because of a Deus ex Machina. If they had spent some time leading up to the plot’s resolution it would’ve felt less serendipitous. But it’s fine.