| |
![The Poor Little Rich Girl [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W4V79KF6L._SL160_.jpg "The Poor Little Rich Girl [VHS]")
see larger picture
|
|
Staring:
Shirley Temple,
Alice Faye,
Gloria Stuart,
Jack Haley,
Michael Whalen
Director:
Irving Cummings
Average Customer Rating: 
List Price: $6.98
Our Price: $8.97
|
|
|
|
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 0024543046004
Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
Label: 20th Century Fox
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 2002-08-13
Running Time: 72
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release Date: 1936-07-24 |
|
|
|
 Not typical Shirley Temple in Certain Respects, 2007-10-18
If you feel silly watching Shirley Temple films without a child, watch this one. Jack Haley and the wonderful and sexy Alice Faye are superb. There's a dark aspect with one character stalking Shirley (rather unsettling). Everyone is terrific in the film and I believe it to be Shirley Temple's best movie. I agree with one reviewer about the cruel dispatching of the nurse Collins. It was either the result of clumsy writing or editing. Otherwise this is one enjoyable, bouncy film.
"Oh, My Goodness!", 2010-07-25
Poor Little Rich Girl is a charming Shirley Temple vehicle with superb performances by Jack Haley and Alice Fay, too. Filmed in glorious black and white, the plot unfolds at a very good pace; and the musical numbers are so well done it's impossible to feel bored watching this film. The choreography and the cinematography are excellent and the script was well written. There's a fair amount of character development but the song and dance numbers really take the spotlight.
When the film starts, we quickly meet little Barbara Barry (Shirley Temple), who lives a rather pampered but solitary existence in her wealthy workaholic father's mansion. Barbara's father Richard (Michael Whalen) is very busy with his soap company and he keeps up to date with all the latest advertising tricks including radio shows to promote his brand of soap. However, one day Richard Barry is persuaded by a household servant to let Barbara go to a school her late mother attended; and Richard agrees. He wants Barbara to be with other children.
What no one knows, however, is that these plans are soon to be scuttled by unanticipated events. Barbara's nurse is accidentally killed by an oncoming car just outside Grand Central Station in New York; and Barbara, not knowing this because she has stayed inside the train station, walks away innocently and decides she will go on a "vacation." She then meets an organ grinder and his family; and it isn't much longer before she then meets vaudeville performers turned radio show hopefuls Jimmy Dolan (Jack Haley) and his wife Jerry (Alice Faye)--and Barbara, now referred to as Bonnie Dolan, joins their act for what the small child thinks is the pure fun of it.
There's even more to the story up to this point and--afterwards--but I won't add too much to spoil it for you. How will Barbara ever be reunited with her father; and how do things go after Barbara joins Jimmy and Jerry? Sure, parts of the story are a little bit contrived but it's very enjoyable to watch this film anyway.
Look for fine performances by Gloria Stuart as Margaret Allen, an assistant to Barry's rival soap manufacturer, Simon Peck (Claude Gillingwater). Henry Armetta is just great as Tony the organ grinder; and John Wray plays the mysterious and threatening Flagin, a man who for some unknown reason is following Barbara rather closely, probably with bad intentions.
I recommend this film for fans of Shirley Temple and the other actors in it; and people who enjoy classic musicals from the 1930s will not be disappointed.
Nice Characters; Nice Movie, 2009-04-10
Here is another very nice Shirley Temple film, one of the above-average ones for her (and most of hers were above-average to start with!). This one featured really nice characters, downplayed the villain, and had a lot of songs.
It didn't have as much tap dancing as I would like to have seen, but it did feature a prolonged dance at the end with Shirley, Jack Haley and Alice Faye.
The villain was some mysterious dude who was either a child molester or a kidnapper. It was never really explained. Thankfully, he had a small role. Otherwise, it was all good people and fun ones to watch. I like seeing Gloria Stuart in her early days, too.
And.....where else but a Shirley Temple movie, would you have a song called "You've Got To Eat Your Spinach, Baby?"
one of Temple's best, 2005-08-06
THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL is one of Shirley Temple's most delightful offerings. She plays Barbara Barry, the daughter of a rich soap manufacturer (Michael Whalen). While being taken off to boarding school, her governess is run down by a car and in the confusion Barbara wanders off into the city. Taking on the persona of her favourite storybook character Betsy Ware, she moves in with a pair of vaudeville hoofers (Alice Faye, Jack Haley) and joins their act. Hilarity ensues when the troupe is employed by a rival soap company, and Barbara's other life is exposed.
This movie is a real charmer. Shirley sings "Oh My Goodness" as her dolls come to life and dance for her, as well as her classic "Spinach Baby" and "When I'm with You". The finale dance of "Military Man" is another highpoint. Alice Faye sings the delightful ballad "But Definitely".
With Gloria Stuart, Jane Darwell and Sara Haden.
DVDs, 2010-01-28
Why haven't Poor Little Rich Girl and Our Little Girl been released on DVD? For those of us who have grown up watching these movies and are trying to complete our collection in DVDs, I'm afraid we might be dead before somebody decides to finally release them. It's no wonder people resort to burning their own DVDs or buying them from overseas to complete their collections.
Come on MGM, please release these last two movies so we can complete our collections. If you were smart, you would have worked out a deal with Paramount and released their two and your last 2 in one set. As it is, I've already purchased the two from them and am just waiting for these now.
|
![Read more information about The Poor Little Rich Girl [VHS] at Amazon.com](/images/read-more.gif "Read more information about The Poor Little Rich Girl [VHS] at Amazon.com"){kind=small}