When her widower father is called to military service, cutely-curled Shirley Temple (as Sara Crewe), her pony, and her doll "Emily" are deposited at an expensive boarding school. The other girls call Ms. Temple "The Little Princess" due to her daddy's extensive wealth. Then, sad news arrives - Temple's father is reported dead; moreover, he's left her penniless. Go figure. As Temple can no longer pay her tuition, wicked headmistress Mary Nash (as Amanda Minchin) puts the golden-locked lass to work as an attic-dwelling house slave. Next, Temple startles ruffian friend Sybil Jason (as Becky) and others by insisting that her father is still alive.
Darryl F. Zanuck's Twentieth Century Fox went all-out for their little money-maker with this one. And, as it turned out, the effort was made in the nick of time. After four years as American exhibitors' #1 box office star, 1939 found Temple slipping. There are times, in this film, where she seems overwhelmed, awkward, or self-conscious. All kids are natural actors, but with adolescence, you need to re-learn acting; due to super-stardom, this began earlier for Temple. Still, she retains enough of that cuteness and charm, herein, to make it work. The Fox regulars, Technicolor, and material (bastardized Frances Hodgson Burnett) are top-notch.
****** The Little Princess (3/10/39) Walter Lang ~ Shirley Temple, Mary Nash, Arthur Treacher, Cesar Romero
Darryl F. Zanuck's Twentieth Century Fox went all-out for their little money-maker with this one. And, as it turned out, the effort was made in the nick of time. After four years as American exhibitors' #1 box office star, 1939 found Temple slipping. There are times, in this film, where she seems overwhelmed, awkward, or self-conscious. All kids are natural actors, but with adolescence, you need to re-learn acting; due to super-stardom, this began earlier for Temple. Still, she retains enough of that cuteness and charm, herein, to make it work. The Fox regulars, Technicolor, and material (bastardized Frances Hodgson Burnett) are top-notch.
****** The Little Princess (3/10/39) Walter Lang ~ Shirley Temple, Mary Nash, Arthur Treacher, Cesar Romero