“Any star can be devoured by human adoration, sparkle by sparkle” -Shirley Temple
Anyone who knows me well is aware of my fondness for dainty dresses and tapping my toes. This can sometimes result in the “Rachel Berry fashion effect” (the combination of a five year old’s and her grandmother’s fashion sense) and concern from strangers that I have restless leg syndrome. In actuality, these affinities were born of a childhood love for America’s first sweetheart: the one and only Shirley Temple. At age three, even before I saw a Shirley Temple movie, I began dance lessons where I was encouraged to tap and sashay around like a natural born performer – sadly; this talent has long since left me. Thus, when I finally saw a Shirley Temple film, I thought I had found a kindred spirit.
Practically twins. Am I right?
What is unique to Shirley Temple films – and, in my opinion, the reason why young girls gravitate towards them – is the cheerfulness and hopefulness that they exude. Because the majority of her films were released in the 1930s, this buoyancy was surely in reaction to the atmosphere of the Great Depression. The films not only served as a distraction to millions of people, but as a reminder that all suffering eventually has its day, and in its stead are happier times. The classic analogy for this in the films was, of course, the optimistic orphan girl continuously on the search for her mother and father. I know now that romanticizing a life void of familial ties is preposterous, but as a child with an active imagination it was an intriguing fantasy I indulged. I know that many girls reveled in this fantasy of pure longing for more love from our parents (even if they already showered us with affection), and maybe even the thought that if we found our long lost “real parents” they might love us more.
Faced with adversity, Shirley Temple’s characters were resilient (in a way, I imagine no six year old could ever be, but hey, creative license). She remained optimistic and stood up to her foes, all the while comforting others around her who were down-in-the-dumps. She taught us young girls how to be brave, how to be outgoing, and how to sparkle.