Dimples Movie

Dimples
Rating:
Run Time: 78 min
MPAA Rating: NR
Released: 1936
Directors: William Seiter
Genre/Type: Drama
Musical
Childhood Drama
Producers: Nunnally Johnson
Darryl F. Zanuck
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
This lavish Shirley Temple starrer is set in New York, sometime in the 1850s. While lovable pickpocket "Professor" Eustace Appleby works the crowd, his talented granddaughter Dimples (Temple) dances for pennies. Dimples demands that Appleby stop his thieving ways, but every time he tries to follow the straight and narrow, he comes out the loser (most memorably when he's hoodwinked by a dapper con man played by John Carradine). While Dimples entertains at the home of society matron Mrs. Caroline Drew (Helen Westley), Appleby pilfers several valuable objects. This time he's caught with the goods, but Dimples gallantly takes the blame. Touched by this, Mrs. Drew adopts the little girl, enabling her to find success on the legitimate stage.

Back to the top Images of Dimples

Popular Products on Dimples

Back to the top Top Questions about Dimples

Dimples are genetically inherited and are a dominant trait.[1] Dimples on each cheek are a relatively common occurrence for people with dimples.
The ideal number of dimples on a standard golf ball is between 380 and 432. Dimples is what gives the golf ball lift. Refer to site http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1147-golf-ball-dimples-how-many for more details.
The dimpling on a golf ball is so that the force and distance of the golf ball is increased. Tests have shown that a dimpled golf ball travels four times greater than a smooth golf ball. So if you want your ball to go farther choose a dimpl...
1 2 »

Cast

Actors Character Born
Shirley Temple Sylvia Dolores Appleby (Dimples) Apr 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, CA
Frank Morgan Prof. Eustace Appleby Jun 1, 1890 in New York City, NY
Helen Westley Mrs. Caroline Drew Mar 28, 1875 in Brooklyn, New York City, NY
Robert Kent Allen Drew
Delma Byron Betty Loring
Astrid Allwyn Cleo Marsh Nov 27, 1909 in South Manchester, CT
Stepin Fetchit Cicero May 30, 1902 in Key West, FL
Berton Churchill Colonel Loring Dec 9, 1876 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Paul Stanton Mr. St. Clair Dec 21, 1884
Julius Tannen Hawkins May 16, 1880
John Carradine Mr. Richards Feb 5, 1906 in Greenwich Village, New York City, NY
Herman Bing Proprietor Mar 30, 1889 in Frankfurt, Germany
Billy McClain Rufus
The Hall Johnson Choir Choir
Jack Clifford Uncle Tom
Betty Jean Hainey Topsy
1 2 »

Back to the topReview

Review by Craig Butler
Dimples could be considered a somewhat atypical Shirley Temple vehicle, although not because of anything involving the story, screenplay or direction. It's atypical because another performer actually gives Temple a run for her money, which rarely happened in her young career. The performer in question is veteran Frank Morgan, taking the clichéd reprobate grandpa character he's been given and taking the tired dialogue that goes along with it and fashioning a portrait that is enormously engaging and that quite captures the audience's sympathy. Morgan doesn't steal the picture from Temple, mind you; Dimples is still the little tyke's show all the way, and she doesn't give any less than her customary 110% from first frame to last. But Morgan does manage to make a very striking presence, and to give Temple someone strong to play off of, which in turn makes her own performance come across more vividly. The script is the usual melodramatic nonsense that exists to allow Temple to sing, dance and jerk a few tears, and she does it all quite well, even if the sentimentality is laid on especially thick in this story. Modern viewers should beware that Dimples features not only poor Stepin Fetchit's torturous turn but also a blackface segment. The choreography, by Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is quite good, and executed quite well by Temple.
Table of Contents