Perry Kate Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Steineded How sad is this?

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

dougdoepke Plot-- A reverend's 1905 family must find a way to adjust to the eldest daughter's instincts for equality at a time when women were denied many opportunities. Meanwhile, Dad may lose his chance to become a bishop because of town gossip over his daughter.Looks like the misleading title and Shirley's rebellious upstart were meant to provide some edge to her squeaky-clean image. However, the results are what could be expected of the Temple brand—a wholesome little family drama, on the order of Father Knows Best. As daughter Dinah, Shirley manages to keep her feminist instincts within appealing bounds; at the same time, she defies confining norms placed on 1905 women. The rebellious context is carefully calibrated so as to be acceptable to 1949 audiences without offending the values of that later time. Note how in the movie Dinah's desire for women's suffrage is endorsed, but not her inclination for a career as a painter. That accords with norms of the late-40's when women still weren't expected to have careers. Careers would come later in the 1960's.As Pastor Sheldon, Young is likably bland in the type role soon to define him. More importantly, as the voice of reason and church authority, he gives official approval to his daughter's actions. So the audience knows she's more than just rebellious— she's on the right track. On the other hand, too bad the studio didn't hire a more appealing swain than the dull- as-cement John Agar. But then he's certainly no competition for his then real life wife. On the whole, the movie tells us more about Temple's career and the social norms of two historical periods than anything else. However, I'm still wondering how this revealing slice of fluff escaped from RKO's dream factory that was then turning out noirs by the dozen.

mark.waltz Still, as Stephen Sondheim wrote in "Follies", someone said she's sincere, so she's here! She's been through Heidi, the Blue Bird, and Reagen, gee how crazy that was. When you've been through Heidi, the Blue Bird, and Reagan, can't you get some applause? As Shirley Temple reached the end of her movie acting career, one thing became very apparent. She wasn't transitioning very well into becoming a mature leading lady, still relying on old tricks from 15 years before. What worked at 8 didn't work in her mid 20's, and even she had to admit that it was time to throw in the towel. In "Adventures in Baltimore", a period comedy set in the early 20th Century, she is still playing a teenager, facing typical problems but utilizing what is up there in her brain to become a "modern", fighting for women's rights and getting into all sorts of trouble as a result. The unfortunate thing is that her character takes everybody around her down with her, and that includes her preacher father (a very good Robert Young), a candidate for Bishop of Maryland, and her object of affections (real life husband John Agar) whom she embarrasses at a public meeting where he reads a speech she wrote for him where he keeps referring to himself as a woman! (Hey, Johnny, proof read!) Then, there's Shirley's mother (Josephine Hutchinson) who is the perfect housewife and mom until Temple gets the bee under her bonnet over women's lib which results in a riot and a black eye for the well-dressed matron. Veteran character actress Norma Varden has an amusing small role as Helen Hadley Hamilton with the very Irish Albert Sharpe adding flavor as an eccentric older man Temple encounters while painting. Shirley does score in a dance contest sequence with papa Young, but her baby-faced, pouty acting makes it appear that she is still a teenager playing dress-up rather than an actress playing a part.

wes-connors Back in 1905, atypical teenager Shirley Temple (as Dinah "Di" Sheldon) is expelled from school after telling her teacher she wants to study human anatomy by painting nude models. Called "immoral," the budding art student also advocates a woman's right to vote. Plus, she wears two petticoats instead of the standard five. Sent home to North Baltimore, Ms. Temple receives moral support from understanding minister father Robert Young (as Andrew Sheldon). As a youth, he dabbled in ballroom dancing. Temple is attracted to tall, dark and handsome John Agar (as Thomas "Tom" Wade), but he prefers a traditionally feminine woman...Back home, Temple gets into more political trouble when she paints Mr. Agar in his bathing suit. But, we do not see this on camera. Agar appears fully clothed while posing for Temple, but is bare-chested in the finished product. First of all, we are left to wonder when Temple became an expert in his male anatomy. Of course, in real life, they were married. After an interesting start, this becomes a silly film. However, the star (now being billed below Robert Young) shows her natural appeal. This is especially evident in the opening minutes. With cast and crew possibly helping set the mood, Temple appears to be comfortable and competent.***** Adventure in Baltimore (4/19/49) Richard Wallace ~ Shirley Temple, John Agar, Robert Young, Josephine Hutchinson

bkoganbing I'm not sure what kind of adventure folks were having in 1905 Baltimore, but it's clear to me that RKO was trying to cash in on a bit of the nostalgia gold that MGM found with Meet Me In St. Louis. There's no musical score in Adventure In Baltimore, but Shirley Temple taking the place of Judy Garland provides a nice wholesome image of a young woman who was questioning just what woman's place was in society as so many thousands of others were doing in America in 1905.Shirley's a preacher's kid and her father is an amused and tolerant, but slightly put out Robert Young. The film opens with her returning to Baltimore because she's been expelled from a Ladies Finishing School, the kind of places that would shortly go out of date and style. She's been espousing such radical ideas as woman's suffrage and she wants to be an artist.In addition to a slightly exasperated father, Shirley's also got a more than slightly exasperated young man who is interested in her in her then real life husband John Agar. One of the funniest scenes in the film is Agar at an oratorical society meeting delivering a speech expressing Temple's progressive ideas. The problem is she did not change the pronouns and poor Agar is making a big old fool of himself. Later on a 'scandalous' painting Temple does of Agar causes great concern and is used against Young who is being touted for the position of Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Baltimore.Robert Young was made up to look a great deal older than he was at the time the film was made. With his graying hair and with it curled the way it was, Young looks like Robert Donat as he was in Goodbye Mr. Chips. It made me think that Donat might have been who RKO had in mind originally for the plot. Nevertheless Young does fine in the role and his scenes with Shirley have some real tenderness to them.Adventure In Baltimore is not as good as Meet Me In St. Louis, but the film is nice family entertainment.