Susannah of the Mounties (1939)

The Worst Film Ever

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I managed to catch this movie on Movies! channel. For a 1939 movie the cinematography and sound are very good.It if course stars 10-yr-old Shirley Temple who already was very experienced in movie roles. She is little Susannah Sheldon, called Sue for short. As the movie opens we see that she is the lone survivor of an Indian attack on her family's wagon. Set in the NW Territory the main male star is Randolph Scott as Canadian Mountie, Inspector Angus Montague, usually just called Monty for short. He comes upon the burned and destroyed wagon and brings little Sue to safety. The core of the story is strained relations between the white man and the Indians, during the time when cross-country railways were being built, threatening the native lands. After a meeting the local tribal chief agrees to leave collateral as a sign of his sincerity, and that collateral is his son, first-time actor Martin Good Rider, about 14, as Little Chief. After a very rocky start he and little Sue become good friends in the fort.Sue is so taken with her rescuer, Monty, that she begins to imagine herself as his long-term companion. When pretty Margaret Lockwood as Vicky Standing shows up, and Monty starts to show interest in her, little Sue begins to show signs of jealousy.In the end an incident threatens to drive the parties apart but little Sue brings forth some information that saves the day. Young Shirley Temple was indeed a fine actress and she deserves all the attention she received over the years.

"Susannah of the Mounties" begins with a group of Canadian Mounted Police (the 'Mounties') coming upon some wagons that were attacked by the Natives. All the settlers, aside from a child (Shirley Temple as the title character), have been killed and the girl is taken back to the fort to live. She is taken in by a handsome young officer (Randolph Scott) and she soon adjusts to camp life.Because of this and other attacks, the leader of the Mounties calls a meeting with the local Chief. The two swear to end the violence and as a sign of his integrity, the Chief sends his young son to live with the white folks. Soon, he and Susannah are at odds with each other. BUT, because she is so gosh-darn spunky and sweet, soon she and the boy become best friends. However, a small group of evil renegade natives are bent on stoking the fires of war. Can resourceful little Susannah bring everyone together? Considering how many times she hit the peace pipe with her new friend, it's a good bet she can.The film gets some credit for having a tribe of actual Indians play the natives....with a few obvious exceptions. The chief and the leader of the renegades are BOTH played by white guys painted up to look like natives. Why did Hollywood always insist in this era in giving all the major roles for most every ethnic group to white folks?! This is especially silly with the chief-- a guy by the name of Maurice Moscovitch! However, Shirley's acting is great (as usual) and the film is never boring. Overall, a pretty good family film--even if it isn't 100% politically correct!

I have a vast collection of Shirley Temple movies in my possession. I don't however have all of them I am still in search of some of the ones that I don't have but, I do have Susannah of the Mounties and I watch it often. I enjoy this movie because I've always liked movies that have a variety of nationalities in it. And Susannah of the Mounties has a mixture of white and native americans in it and I liked it. True she doesn't sing or dance in it like she is known for in her earlier works but, she still touches the hearts of watchers through her talents. In this movie she ends up teaching watchers that not all native americans are bad and that indeed whites and native americans could live together peacefully. Through her befriending the young native american chief she is showing people that all ethnic groups can live together peacefully and be friends to. She also shows how important it is to be there for loved ones or good friends when they are in need like she does for Inspector Montague after she finds out that he has been captured and almost put to death by the Blackfeet Tribe. And by being friends with Chief Big Eagle and Little Chief she convinces the Blackfeet tribe to save Inspector Montague and to punish the real traitor. I think all her movies teaches us the lessons of life we need to learn and because of her being the popular child star she was and how everyone loved her she was able to teach children good from bad and be the positive influence that she was and always will be.

I happen to be viewing the colored version on tv, which is fine. Young Shirley had grown up just a little more since her last role as the Little Princess (1939).This movie about Mounties, Indians, and adventure is the kind of entertainment we as kids would sit through in a dark theater on Saturday afternoons, with much noise, lots of popcorn, and plenty of fun. I believe the main storyline deals with the troubles encountered when laying down the railroad line out West. Such an action clashed with the Indians' way of life; they also felt threatened by the white man's progress into their territory.It's questionable to see Victor Jory as an Indian. Well this is a movie so anything can happen. Little Susannah (Shirley Temple) has a harrowing time at the beginning, being the only one left after an Indian raid. She's found hiding under a barrel and befriended by Inspector Monty (Randolph Scott) who takes her under his wing and gives her shelter. One episode later shows her having a good time teaching Monty how to dance (with a book on his head), him being so tall and her still short, it's very amusing to watch.Much action of Indians, war dances, troubles afoot. I liked the scenes of beautiful mountains as I live west of the Rockies too. Original Blackfoot tribesmen were a big part of this film.Good adventure, lots of activity, great for youngsters and those who are still young at heart!