|
|
|
The Blue Bird (Of Happiness)
|
Click for a closer view
|
List Price: $9.98
Our Price: $5.05
You Save: $4.93 (49%)
Availability:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product Details
- Starring: Shirley Temple, Spring Byington, Nigel Bruce, Gale Sondergaard, Eddie Collins
|
- Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
|
- Binding: VHS Tape
|
- Director: Walter Lang
|
- EAN: 0024543029670
|
- Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Black & White
|
- Label: 20th Century Fox
|
- Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
|
- Number of Items: 1
|
- Product Group: Video
|
- Publisher: 20th Century Fox
|
- Release Date: 2002-01-29
|
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
|
- Theatrical Release Date: 1940-01-19
|
- Title: The Blue Bird (Of Happiness)
|
- UPC: 024543029670
|
Avg Customer Rating: 
Product Description: A poignant story of a selfish young German girl's search for happiness, Blue Bird is a classic Shirley Temple film with a storybook Hansel and Gretel feel. This restored and remastered 1940 film opens with a purposely grainy, black and white world that reinforces Mytyl's (Shirley Temple) ill-humored attitude toward life. Mytyl consistently complains about everything and fails to see that she and her family are really quite blessed until her father is summoned to war. A dramatic switch to Technicolor, now bright and clear thanks to restoration efforts, marks the fairy Berylone's (Jessie Ralph) nighttime appearance and the beginning of Mytyl's and her brother Tyltyl's (Johnny Russell) quest to find the blue bird of happiness. Lead by "Light" (Helen Ericson), the children and their faithful dog Tylo (Eddie Collins) and scheming cat Tylette (Gale Sondergaard) journey through the lands of the past, future, and luxury only to find a prevailing unhappiness. In the end, it's a journey of self-discovery that leads Mytyl to find true happiness in a most unexpected place. This film marks a departure from the typically sunny and cheerful characters played by Shirley Temple and was, in spite of its lavish scenery and nominations for Academy Awards in both cinematography and special effects, unsuccessful at the box office. (Ages 5 and older) --Tami Horiuchi
|
Customer Reviews
A Child's Bluebird of Happiness
I'm prejudiced about this film, because I saw it as a small child, and was absolutely enchanted. From a child's viewpoint, everything looked magical. I especially loved the fairy, Light, and the Land of the Unborn Children. As a grownup, I can appreciate the slightly tacky, not to mention low-budget, nature of the costumes and settings, but I don't care. I still love it!!!
For one thing, the color has been restored beautifully; for another, Shirley Temple's terminal cuteness was finally curbed by a competent director, Walter Lang. Every curl still remains in place, but she puts in a more than creditable performance as the spoiled brat, Mytyl. The little boy playing her brother Tyltyl is also engaging, as are Sibyl Jason, and Juanita Quigley as children in supporting roles. And Gale Sondergaard is brilliant as Tylette the sneaky cat. Her exchanges with the growling dog Tylo are highly amusing.
If children have not become too jaded by their exposure to computers, and can still believe in magic and fairies, they will love this allegorical fable based upon the novel by Maurice Maeterlinck.
|
pure and simple story
My grandchildren ( ages 7 and 4) love this movie. They have found a new friend in Shirley Temple and have totally embraced the moral of the story. They understand and explain it to me. My daughter, their mother, remembers it from her childhood and has said she is going to sit down with them for one of their multiple viewings. So glad to find a story that is really pure and simple.
|
shirley Temples Blue Bird
Very disappointed. This is one of the worst Shirley Temple movies I have ever owned. Should be priced in the $1.99 movie section - a BIG yawner.
|
HORRIBLE MOVIE,,,Be warned
I don't think I have ever seen such a tacky, low budget offering in my life. This movie had a confusing, boring storyline, phoney looking settings...and here's the kicker...there is no real Bluebird in the whole thing. The packaging tricks you. Obviously they graphically inserted a real Bluebird in Shirley Temple's hand for the DVD. And,the Bluebird is only seen briefly in the very end. Sadly, this was made back before animals were treated humanely by Hollywood. It looks as if they spray-painted the poor bird blue. He doesn't look too healthy to me. (I don't know if you're aware of it, but for example, Tarzan really did kill the lion in the old Tarzan movie.) I imagine this bird didn't live long after that scene. I bought this movie for my Granddaughter, because she loves The Wizard of Oz,,,but to mention W of Oz in the same sentence with this movie is an abomination. Save your money.
|
Early Color Classic
Our grandchildren fell in love with Shirly Temple the way we did 70 years ago... Beautiful movie - be sure to watch it with the kids.
|
|
|
|
|