As a kid in parochial school in the late Fifties, an occasional treat called for assembling all eight grades in the auditorium for an afternoon of movies, and I recall Shirley Temple showing up more than once. I don't know if "The Little Princess" might have been one of them, but in any case, she was always a favorite. Shirley may not have had all of the cuteness factor here that was on display in her earlier roles, but there's no denying her talent and presence; when she's on screen, no one else matters. The story here turns somewhat morose when Sara Crewe (Temple) learns her father (Ian Hunter) dies in the Boer War. That's a tough thing to put a kid through, young viewers that is, not the actress. Relating too much to the possibility of a parent's dying isn't exactly the most cheerful subject, so first time viewers of the film are left on the hook for a while until a more successful resolution is arrived at. Along with Shirley, I was also rooting for her compatriot Sybil Jason as the poor, young chambermaid who took a liking to Sara and had the feeling returned in good measure. Interestingly, the Little Princess part of the story was brought into sharper focus when Shirley's character met Queen Victoria (Beryl Mercer), allowing the viewer to consider two different kinds of royalty.
Review of The Little Princess
