new Shirley Temple. The added footage emphasizes her contribution with many dialogue scenes and four songs. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Prince was featured prominently in the film's advertising and promotion, which referred to her as "42 inches and 42 pounds of Southern Charm" and, in reference to a bathing scene with Prince, "soap washes off dirt, but only God can wash away your sins." Reception Even with new, professionally filmed segments, the pageant footage had technical flaws -- telephone poles could be seen behind the crucifix—but viewers overlooked them and focused on the documentary aspects of the film. The local performers' Oklahoma accents were so strong that the producer decided to erase the soundtrack and re-record the dialogue with professional actors. The Lawton Story was described as "the only film that had to be dubbed from English to English." The original narration by DeVallon Scott was re-recorded by radio's Knox Manning. The film premiered in Lawton to a respectable crowd. While it failed to be a mainstream hit because of its specialized subject matter, it did succeed regionally; the film's run in New York City was so successful that the New York Daily News called it "the Miracle of Broadway." Reviews praised the native pageant footage but criticized the Hollywood-staged portions. Modern Screen wrote: "The Pageant itself, filmed in the dawn against a natural setting of mountains, is stirring. The cast for the most part is composed of citizens of Lawton who know their Bibles better than their profiles. It's the sincerity of their nonprofessional acting which comes across, and turns the enactment of the life of Christ (played by Millard Coody) into a moving experience." Variety'''s review specifically criticized Prince's performance in the film, saying the movie would have been better "had not producers seen fit to drag in a crass, commercial showcasing of a precocious moppet, apparently in an attempt to strike a broader popular market." Cast Ginger Prince - Ginger Forrest Taylor - Mark Wallock (Ginger's grandfather) Millard Coody - Himself/Jesus Ferris Taylor - Uncle Jonathan Wallock Gwynne Shipman (credited as Gwyn Shipman) - Jane (Ginger's Mother) Darlene Bridges - Herself/Virgin Mary Maude Eburne - Henrietta Willa Pearl Curtis - Willa Pearl Raymond Largay (credited as Ray Largay) - Dr. Martin A.S. Fischer - Himself/Simon Peter Hazel Lee Becker - Herself/Mary Magdalene William Ruhl - Mr. Nelson Russ Whiteman - Mr. Cole Knox Manning - Narrator