Poor Little Rich Girl (1936)

People are voting emotionally.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Associate producer: Buddy G. De Sylva. Executive producer: Darryl F. Zanuck. Copyright 24 July 1936 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 25 June 1936 (ran two weeks). Australian release: January 1937. 7,093 feet. 79 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Motherless Barbara Barry has everything a child could want: a wealthy soap manufacturer for a father, toys, clothes, and pets, to say nothing of a private nurse, Collins, who rushes her charge into bed at the first sneeze. It is decided that Collins will take Barbara away to school, but outside the railroad station the nurse is struck by a car, rushed to the hospital, and Barbara decides to become Betsy Ware, the heroine in her favorite book that Woodward, the housekeeper, reads to her. She meets Tony and his monkey and follows them home for the night, insisting she is an orphan. The following morning, hearing dance steps from the flat above, Barbara imitates the steps so perfectly that Jimmy and his wife Jerry hurry down to see who the "smart hoofer" really is. NOTES: A re-make of the 1917 silent starring Mary Pickford. The stage play by Eleanor Gates opened at the Hudson on 21 January 1913, running a most satisfactory 160 performances. Viola Dana in the title role was directed by Richard Walton Tully for producer Arthur Hopkins.Although a smash hit in the U.S./Canadian market, "Poor Little Rich Girl" did not earn enough money to place it in the first ten box- office winners. In Australia, however, the movie took 4th place. Another Temple-Faye star attraction, "Stowaway", was 2nd.COMMENT: Despite up-dating, the script is still an old-fashioned bit of nonsense in which the incredibly jejeune plot is made all paramount and never mind what damage is done to characterization. We are asked to accept for example that Whalen is a completely sympathetic figure, yet he doesn't even bother to check that his darling daughter has got to school safely. Also take all this business with that shady character who keeps hovering around in the background. It all comes to nought, his motives being neither revealed nor hinted at. Presumably he's condemned because of his sinister face. But as nothing actually happened we imagine that he successfully sued the police later for false arrest. In fact the whole business of the Faye-Haley plot is left conveniently up in the air. A quick cut to the "Military Man" finale suffices.Whilst the direction is certainly smooth, it's equally dull and routine. Increasing the tedium of this lack of directorial style are an unmemorable lot of songs and dances, poor man's production numbers. Only the cleverly choreographed "Military Man" finale (in which Alice keeps up amazingly well with Shirley and Jack) has any real interest or vitality. Production values are well above average, though technical credits for the most part are as blandly undistinguished as the direction.OTHER VIEWS: Typically cutesy Temple vehicle in which the strong support cast is neither well used nor adequately catered for by script or director. (The songwriters and dance director seem to concentrate all their energies on Miss Temple too). Miss Faye (who is not especially attractively made up or photographed) and Mr. Haley make a disappointingly late entrance. Part of the limelight that should have shone on Miss Faye is taken over by Gloria Stuart, who looks attractive enough but seems too svelte for the likes of woodenly unbelievable millionaire father figure, Michael Whalen. On the other hand, Claude Gillingwater heavily exaggerates his role, often reducing it to a theatrical caricature. More reliable support players like Jane Darwell and Sara Haden drop out of the story altogether at an early stage. - JHR writing as George Addison.

...it's still vastly entertaining. It was common practice for 20th Century Fox to buy film rights to a classic novel, and turn it into a Shirley Temple vehicle that has not even a passing resemblance to the original. The book "The Poor Little Rich Girl" is far more tragic than this cute-fest, but as an entertainment film, it certainly succeeds.The performances are right up there. One of my favourite screen stars Alice Faye is so brilliant, she never gets lost in Temple's glare as do so many of her costars. Jack Haley is hilarious, and the songs are amazing. Alas, Gloria Stuart isn't given much to do but she looks wonderful.Favourite moments include the spaghetti-eating scene, Shirley's conversation with the curb-side porter and of course "You Gotta Eat Your Spinach Baby." Fine film for parents to watch with their kids.Try to get the original black and white version if you can, the colorized version looks a little weird.

This definitely is one of Shirley's three or four best, mostly because she is not required to perform a tearful treacly scene as in some other films, those which tug at your heart but later seem somewhat embarrassing. This is one in which she comes across as a young actress, and not simply as a personality. The musical numbers are unusually effective; probably because they are shared with Alice Faye and Jack Haley and not strictly solo. (You have to smile over the final number, when the military band number, well done though it is, is done with full costumes and choreography, even though the performance is taking place over a radio hookup.) Shirley conveys an innocence and trustfulness and joy in life which is a universe removed from portrayals of children in contemporary film and TV. One more remark: I was truly surprised to see the appearance of a pedophile in a film of that era, and to see Jack Haley confronting and fighting him as he is about to lead Shirley away from the apartment house.

After all these years and with all the changes within our society it is amazing to feel the charm of this sparkling young girl. Even with Jack Haley, Alice Faye and Claude Gillingwater providing such good support, there is no doubt who makes this film work - Shirley Temple.A child that any parent could be proud of. Strong-willed, intelligent, talented, and fearless yet obedient and loving.The performance, with Jack and Alice of the "Spinach" song, coupled with the final dance routine would, by themselves, make this movie worth watching repeatedly.