A Little Princess
Director: Walter Lang, William A. Seiter.
Cast: Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise, Sybil Jason, Mary Nash, Cesar Romero, Ian Hunter, Arthur Treacher
Taken from the novel “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this story follows Sara Crewe (Shirley Temple) as she is taken from her beloved India, to live in England, and be educated in Ms. Minchin’s School, while her father is away at war. Although Sara lives the life of a charmed princess, and she is given every wish her heart desires, Sarah’s dream life is soon shattered, when news reaches her, that her beloved Daddy has died in the war. Orphaned and alone, poor Sara must cast aside her crown, and her fairytale life of privilege, and become a humble servant in Ms. Minchin’s school. Will Sara ever be a princess again, or will her dream life be gone forever?
One of the most important themes in the film is being a good, brave soldier and nowhere is this theme more perfectly illustrated than in the bond Sarah shares with her Daddy, Captain Crewe (Ian Hunter).
When Sara and her Daddy first arrive at Ms. Minchin’s school, Captain Crewe tells his beloved daughter that she must be a good soldier and be very brave for a time, while he is away at war. He asks Sara to stand at the window as he leaves and follow his departure with a prayer “My Daddy has to go away, but he’ll return most any day…any moment I may see, my Daddy coming back to me.” Although she is weeping while she does this, Sarah prays that her father will return safely to her.
When Miss Rose tells Sarah that her father has died in the war, she reminds Sarah that she is a soldier’s daughter, and as such, she ought to remember her promise, and be very brave, for her father’s sake. But alas, while she may be a brave soldier’s daughter, little Sara’s heart is broken, and she does not feel very brave at all, in this moment. When Ms. Minchin tells Sara that she must now become a servant to repay her father’s debts, Sara stands by another window and repeats the same prayer, her heart steadfast in its belief that her Daddy is still alive, and he will, indeed, come back to her. In the end, it is her brave soldier’s heart and steadfast belief that her father is alive, which allows Sarah to be reunited with her beloved Daddy.
This is my first time watching one of Shirley Temple’s movies, and I must say, I was impressed with how well she portrayed her character of Sara. It is not just a well-told adaptation of a classic children’s story, and she certainly was not just the token child in the story, whose only purpose was to smile and look adorable. No, Ms. Temple infuses Sara with such deep and sincere emotions, grace, humor, and charm that it makes one believe she truly is the princess she sees in her dream. You feel her joy when she is reunited with her beloved father. This is a movie that I would highly recommend.
© 2022 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Walter Lang, William A. Seiter.
Cast: Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise, Sybil Jason, Mary Nash, Cesar Romero, Ian Hunter, Arthur Treacher
Taken from the novel “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this story follows Sara Crewe (Shirley Temple) as she is taken from her beloved India, to live in England, and be educated in Ms. Minchin’s School, while her father is away at war. Although Sara lives the life of a charmed princess, and she is given every wish her heart desires, Sarah’s dream life is soon shattered, when news reaches her, that her beloved Daddy has died in the war. Orphaned and alone, poor Sara must cast aside her crown, and her fairytale life of privilege, and become a humble servant in Ms. Minchin’s school. Will Sara ever be a princess again, or will her dream life be gone forever?
One of the most important themes in the film is being a good, brave soldier and nowhere is this theme more perfectly illustrated than in the bond Sarah shares with her Daddy, Captain Crewe (Ian Hunter).
When Sara and her Daddy first arrive at Ms. Minchin’s school, Captain Crewe tells his beloved daughter that she must be a good soldier and be very brave for a time, while he is away at war. He asks Sara to stand at the window as he leaves and follow his departure with a prayer “My Daddy has to go away, but he’ll return most any day…any moment I may see, my Daddy coming back to me.” Although she is weeping while she does this, Sarah prays that her father will return safely to her.
When Miss Rose tells Sarah that her father has died in the war, she reminds Sarah that she is a soldier’s daughter, and as such, she ought to remember her promise, and be very brave, for her father’s sake. But alas, while she may be a brave soldier’s daughter, little Sara’s heart is broken, and she does not feel very brave at all, in this moment. When Ms. Minchin tells Sara that she must now become a servant to repay her father’s debts, Sara stands by another window and repeats the same prayer, her heart steadfast in its belief that her Daddy is still alive, and he will, indeed, come back to her. In the end, it is her brave soldier’s heart and steadfast belief that her father is alive, which allows Sarah to be reunited with her beloved Daddy.
This is my first time watching one of Shirley Temple’s movies, and I must say, I was impressed with how well she portrayed her character of Sara. It is not just a well-told adaptation of a classic children’s story, and she certainly was not just the token child in the story, whose only purpose was to smile and look adorable. No, Ms. Temple infuses Sara with such deep and sincere emotions, grace, humor, and charm that it makes one believe she truly is the princess she sees in her dream. You feel her joy when she is reunited with her beloved father. This is a movie that I would highly recommend.
© 2022 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.