Shirley Temple: Origins of the Optimistic Image :: Shirley Temple Image Essays

Shirley Temple Origins of the Optimistic ImageShirley Temple. When the name is uttered an image of the dimpled faced, curly haired, tap dancing four-spot year old from the 1930s automatically appears in everyones mind. She was the child actress of the depression era, winning over the hearts and pocket books of many. Films, dolls and even a drink named later her, her face and name were ones that couldnt be missed. She was pull a fast one ons gem and saviour. She was an escape from the hard life. She was a star. The image that she gave off, of love for the needy and pure optimism, must have had an origin. Did it rise from the mixer needs of the public to escape the depression or was it purely constructed by Twentieth Century-Fox? Her image clearly correlates with the mentality of the public at the time, but Fox must have had a hand. Undoubtedly her image was created through a mixture of both elements. To analyze the degree to which Shirley Temples image was formed through the need s of the time or through manipulation by Fox, one must first look at stars images in general and how they come into being. What do stars name to the listening? What is the nature of their images? Many people might say that stars are merely a product of the Hollywood system needing to make a moolah Hollywood manufactures a product and creates the demand for it. A stars image is processed through advertisements and promotions and has little to do with what the audience wants and needs from entertainment. There is a general mentality that any Average Joe can become a star with enough resources backing him up. Richard Dyer points unwrap, however, that even movies full of stars fail, and stars can and do fall out of fashion (12). A stars economic worth is not invulnerable to audiences opinions. The audience isnt so easily controlled. As Dyer says, Stars ... are the direct or indirect reflexion of the needs, drives and dreams of American society. (6). The stars image is formed by wh at the audience chooses to see, and the audience will choose to see a movie that fills their societal needs, even if unconsciously. Once the audience has made its decision, it empowers that star to fulfill these needs. Stars have a privileged position in the definition of social roles and types, and this must have real consequences in term of how people believe they can and should behave (Dyer 8).