I love this movie so much

Don't listen to the negative reviews

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Early in her film career, Shirley Temple appeared in quite a few shorts. So, although she was HUGELY famous in the 1930s, you can see her in supporting roles in small films up through 1934. Most of them are pretty dreadful and "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is certainly pretty much the norm for these early films when it comes to quality.This film stars Andy Clyde as an incredibly irresponsible school teacher. The film begins with him making eyes at Dora at her doughnut stand--even though school should have started already. But, the kids are an odd lot and they come get him instead of just running amok! And, once school begins, you see they are REALLY odd--breaking into song and dance numbers in the classroom!! When Dora creates the ultimate doughnut(?), Clyde decides to help her by having his kids go on the radio and sing its praises. Really. And how does it all end? Well, you probably won't care but I'll say no more in case you want to see it and be surprised. Overall, the film is pretty limp--with lots of singing, a dumb plot and very real little comedy. Not good by any standard.

Shirley Temple is only a supporting character in this ensemble role. Dora runs a Doughnut shop in town and is smitten with the teacher who rides his bicycle every day on his way to school. This film was only done when Shirley was 5 years old. While she is small, she certainly steals the spotlight. Anyway, the teacher and Dora the Doughnut lady flirt with each other. Then one day, she sends a note to come in a hurry. She has found a way to make her Doughnuts better. The teacher and the class find a way to get her more customers via the radio commercial since this short was before television's time. Anyway, the story is cute an all. Shirley is fine and adorable. The other actors do their job. It's not classic cinema but a relatively easy short to watch.

A previous IMDB reviewer has said that "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is about a boy who's afraid of dogs. That reviewer is thinking of a different movie, called "Pardon My Pups". Both are short comedies which feature Shirley Temple before her stardom. Both of these films have been released on video as part of a compendium of Shirley Temple shorts, which explains why the reviewer has got them switched. "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" is often packaged as a Shirley Temple film; she's prominently featured in a supporting role, but she is certainly not the central character here."Dora's Dunking Doughnuts" was made at Al Christie's low-budget Educational studio, which (despite its name) specialised in short comedies. (Educational started out making educational films, then producer Christie discovered that slapstick was more profitable.) The star of this film is silent-film comedian Andy Clyde, cast here as a bashful schoolmaster and speaking his dialogue in a soft Perthshire accent. Andy is sweet on Dora, who runs a small roadside diner which isn't getting much custom. But her food is good, especially her doughnuts: if only she could afford to advertise, and attract more customers!Andy maintains order (just barely) over a classroom of students, ranging widely in age. They're all good kids, but very mischievous. Little Shirley is the prize pupil. Andy organises his students into an orchestra and chorus, then he uses his savings to buy some air time on the local radio station. This is quite realistic: in the golden age of radio, many shows were "on sustaining", meaning that the performers had no sponsor and they paid for their own air time.We see some very unrealistic yet amusing shenanigans at the radio station, including a performance by a matronly singer (Florence Gill) who clucks her song as if she were a chicken. Andy leads his schoolkids in a rendition of an advertising jingle, "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts", which is actually quite enjoyable. But of course a few things go wrong during the live broadcast...Special attention should be paid to Bud Jamison, unfortunately misspelt in the credits of this film as 'Jamieson'. Bud Jamison was the greatest straight man in the history of film comedy! He worked with most of the greatest comedians in the first 50 years of American films, including Chaplin, Keaton, WC Fields and the Three Stooges. In the Stooges classic 'Disorder in the Court', Jamison is the defence attorney who hands Curly a revolver while speaking the immortal line "Never fear, it's not loaded." Bud Jamison gave sterling service in many of the greatest comedies of the 1920s through '40s (and in a lot of obscure comedies too), yet he remains utterly unknown to old-movie fans ... probably because Jamison specialised in making other comedians seem funnier than they were. Here in "Dora's Dunking Doughnuts", Jamison is quite funny as the put-upon manager of the small-time radio station.I'll rate this nice comedy-musical short 10 out of 10. You'll probably watch it to see Shirley Temple, and Andy Clyde is excellent in the lead role. (Ethel Sykes is quite good too, as the titular Dora.) But please rewind it and watch it again, this time concentrating on Bud Jamison's expert comedy timing.

With Shirley Temple when she was a little child. She is not the star in this film, that is the Scottish comic actor Andy Clyde. The story: A doughnut shop with economical problem is saved when a school music class is on radio to promote the doughnuts.