Joe and Kitty, a couple who perform on the vaudeville circuit, take in an orphaned baby named Wendy (Shirley Temple), who they raise as their own and eventually incorporate into their act. Eventually, she becomes the star of their trio, The Ballantines, until Joe and Kitty decide to quit the business and put down roots in New England. Their timing is prompted somewhat by the fading of Vaudeville, caused by the popularity of films.
Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood capture the spirit of vaudeville extremely well. He is a perfect "second banana" and she is the prototypical specialty act. When Joe and Kitty arrive in the New England town of Stonefield, their show biz bluster makes them fish out of water. Daughter Wendy, always the upbeat optimist, helps them negotiate with some social situations. But Stonefield is a town of staid citizenry who like tradition; those in power resist any concessions to modernity. In the end, circumstances arise that demonstrate that the Ballantines are valuable citizens of the community.
Miss Temple carries this film and provides the center of the story. And due to some remarkably edited sequences, we see her performing from ages six to twelve, roughly.
As a musical, this film is not a tremendous success, but it is worth seeing due to Shirley.
