There are various obvious similarities between Annie, as here characterized, and a typical Shirley Temple, in her juvenile films, as well as a few differences. Not that the S.T. films were necessarily a model for constructing the screen play for "Annie". Most of the main characters for "Annie" were taken from the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip, which began in the mid-20s, whereas S.T. films didn't begin until the mid-30s. Thus, we might wonder if the typical screen play of S.T. films wasn't lifted from the Annie comics or the 1932 film "Little Orphan Annie"!..........The first difference we notice between "Annie" and S. T. films is that the latter were filmed in B&W vs. the color of "Annie". Of course, most S.T. films have since been released in a colorized form, reducing the significance of this difference. While both are cute, and have strongly curly hair, Annie's is appropriately red(actually orange), whereas Shirley's is brown, when colorized. ........Shirley's juvenile films were all released in the 1930s. Likewise, "Annie" was also clearly set in the '30s, increasing the impression that "Annie" was modeled after the S.T. films. In most Shirley films, she has little or nothing to do with other kids, at least, for most of the film. While Annie interacts with the orphans in the first part of the film, thereafter she pretty much only interacts with adults. Shirley usually had a bossy or grumpy older adult to interact with, as least, for part of the time. Likewise Annie had to endure bossy, demented, Miss Hannigan(Carol Burnett) while at the orphanage. Shirley usually made friends with, and sometimes was adopted by, an older man or sometimes couple. Likewise, Annie made friends with old Mr. Warbucks(Albert Finney), who adopted her, as well as with his private secretary(and lover?) Grace Farrell(Ann Reinking).........Both girls at least sometimes sang and/or danced, although not in all S.T. films, and Annie sang much more than Shirley, as, unlike S.T. films, "Annie" was billed as a musical, with Annie doing most of the singing and some of the dancing. Annie even did a bit of tapdancing, which was Shirley's forte..........Yes, Annie and Shirley had lots of things in common. But the film "Annie", was , in various ways, more elaborate, as well as 30min. longer than the typical S.T. film. It cost a good deal more to make than S.T. films, and barely turned a profit the first year.......... While Shirley was younger than 10 in most of her films, Annie was 10, and thus had a better singing voice, if still clearly 'girly'. ............I found the first part of "Annie", where Annie interacts with the other orphans, more interesting than the remainder of the film......... Shirley never encountered someone as demented as Miss Hannagan. I'm sure viewer reactions to Miss Hannigan vary from amusement to disdain. My reaction similarly varied across this spectrum.............Why couldn't they find a real East Indian to play Punjab? It was obvious that Punjab was being played by an African American!
Review of Annie
