A little better than standard fare from 20th Century Fox's financial savior -- Shirley Temple. The story gets off to a bit of a slow start as sheltered rich girl Shirley gets sent away to school so she can be with other children. But, her chaperon loses her purse to a crook, and while looking for it is struck by a car, thus separating Shirley from her chaperon (whose fate we never discover...you'll recognize her as Judge Hardy's sister from the Andy Hardy films). On her own, Shirley gets lost in the city and befriends an organ grinder and his monkey...but an evil kidnapper has his eye on Shirley. In the same apartment building where all this is happening are hoofers Alice Faye (who later the same year will hit it big in "In Old Chicago") and Jack Haley (who 3 years later will be the Tin Man in "The Wizard Of Oz"). Shirley, Haley, and Faye land a contract with the rival soap company (owned by Claude Gillingwater) to her father's company...which ultimately leads to father and daughter being reunited.Aside from Shirley's usual bubbliness, are great performances by a number of co-stars. How can anyone not enjoy the lovably grumpy antics of Claude Gillingwater? And, its the scenes between Gillingwater and Temple that are just about the most charming you'll see in any old film! Gloria Stewart (the old lady of "Titanic" fame) plays the love interest to Shirley's father.There are some nice songs here, too: "When I'm With You", the remarkably entertaining "You've Gotta Each Your Spinach, Baby" (with Temple, Faye, and Haley), and the tap-dancing finale "A Military Man" (again, Temple, Faye, and Haley) is one of the most memorable in any of the Temple films...one I remembered from when I was a child 50 years ago! Something to watch for: 21 minutes into the film, as "daddy" picks Shirley up, there's a little too much of Shirley's thigh showing...and Shirley has the presence to pull down her dress a bit more modestly. A goof, but left in during the age of innocence.

The second of four films Shirley Temple made in 1936 is a solid star vehicle tailored for her unique talents but, apart from her winning charm, proves to be hard tack as entertainment for this admitted non-fan of musicals! The thing is that the plot is so incredibly contrived that it's impossible to take any of it seriously: Shirley is the pampered daughter of a millionaire soap manufacturer who is eventually sent to an exclusive college so that she can be with children her own age instead of her prissy butler-nanny-guardian combo. However, she is stranded at the train station and never gets to the college but instead follows an Italian immigrant (Henry Armetta, who else?) who is an accordion-playing busker and has a pet chimp for companion. Before long, however, she is 'adopted' by the penniless husband-and-wife performing team of Jack Haley and (a constantly grouchy) Alice Faye who, thanks to Temple's addition to their act, become radio stars publicizing through song the products of a rival (and predictably cantankerous) soap manufacturer! All this while, Temple's dad is blissfully unaware of her absence from school and subsequent radio success because he's perpetually swooning over his rival's ad campaign manager (the lovely Gloria Stuart). Eech! Another decidedly irritating recurrence in the film is the mystifying appearance of a stranger (John Wray) who seems to follow Temple everywhere and is always on the point of molesting or kidnapping her but for Jack Haley's timely and heroic interventions! Having said that, the film satisfactorily climaxes with the "Military Man" production number which is a tour-de-force of virtuoso tap dancing performed by Temple, Faye and Haley in remarkable unison.

Were star vehicles in film *created* for Shirley Temple? It certainly seems so--there just couldn't have been another more adorable, endlessly charming, chubby little cherub fit to act in films like POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL.. and actually keep the audience interested and not turned off by all the unabashed saccharine sweetness she exudes (especially true for modern cynical audiences for whom Macaulay Culkin was their superstar child star).In this film, Temple plays little Barbara Barry, daughter to soap mogul Richard Barry (Michael Whalen). Unfortunately, her father is too busy trying to fight off competition from Peck Soaps to spend much time with her and decides to send her off to school. On the way there, Barbara's nanny meets with an accident and Barbara is left to go off on her own little vacation where she eventually meets the Dolans (Alice Faye & Jack Haley), who work her into their radio act as their talented child who sings and taps like a dream. Barbara charms the Dolans' way into a Peck Soaps radio spot and it is when her father listens to the radio and recognises her singing a song with lyrics special to him that he realises that Barbara never made it to school...POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL doesn't try to be a great film classic. (Incidentally, it's not one.) It's just a vehicle for Temple to sing, act, and generally be cute. She takes full advantage of it. Her baby voice is high but uncommonly sweet, and she does well with numbers like, "When I'm With You", "Oh My Goodness" and "But Definitely". It doesn't hurt that she's quite a talented little dancer as well, so she looks good when performing with the Dolans (for example, the over-long and rather pointless, but well-performed "Military Man"). My favourite number is when they argue over spinach in "You've Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby"--Temple displays just the right degree of righteous indignation as she pleads on behalf of children across the world that spinach isn't necessary. Her cuteness is undeniable as well--it's what made her box-office champion at Fox for several years in a row, and her trademark shock of ringlets, dimples and chubby cheeks are used to excellent effect in this film. It's a pleasant enough film, moderately engaging for most, with no real shocks but no moments of supreme awfulness either. Good for a night in with the kids--they're sure to identify with all of Barbara's vitriolic protests against eating her greens (they sure are obsessed with spinach in this film!). Fun, but not challenging. 7.5/10

Another musical showcasing the prodigious talents of little Shirley Temple. I recall hearing that Alice Faye said somewhere that she was hard put to it just to keep up with Shirley during that final dance sequence of the soldiers.In this film Shirley is the little rich girl who becomes lost but is taken in by a family and soon gets acquainted with performers. It's a very pleasant musical, so just enjoy! My preference, however, is for her movies that have a simple and heartwarming tale to tell. The showbiz films are less moving as a story although still very delightful.