The Little Princess poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise, Ian Hunter, Cesar Romero ... see more see more... , Arthur Treacher , Sybil Jason , Miles Mander , Marcia Mae Jones , Beryl Mercer , Deidre Gale , Ira Stevens , E.E. Clive , Eily Malyon , Clyde Cook , Will Stanton , Harry Allen , Evan Thomas , Holmes Herbert , Guy Bellis , Kenneth Hunter , Lionel Braham , Olaf Hytten , Mary Nash , Rita Page , Keith Hitchcock

Shirley Temple's first Technicolor feature, The Little Princess was inspired by the oft-filmed novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Set in turn-of-the-century England, the film finds Temple being enrolle... read more read more...d in a boarding school by her wealthy widowed father (Ian Hunter), who must head off to fight in the Boer War. At first, Temple is treated like royalty; her behavior couldn't be more down to earth, but this preferential treatment foments resentment. When her father is reported killed in the war, circumstances are severely altered. The spiteful headmistress (Mary Nash) relegates Temple to servant status and forces the girl to sleep in a drafty attic. She keeps her spirits up by hoping against hope that her father will return, and to that end she haunts the corridors of a nearby military hospital. Queen Victoria doesn't have to make a guest appearance in the tearfully joyous closing sequence, but it does serve as icing on the cake to this, one of Temple's most enjoyable feature films. Reliable Shirley Temple flick supporting actors Cesar Romero and Arthur Treacher are back in harness in The Little Princess, while adult leading lady Anita Louise figures prominently in a sugary dream sequence. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

74% liked it

14,936 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

8 critics

G, 1 hr. 31 min.

Directed by: Walter Lang, William A. Seiter

Release Date: March 10, 1939

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: July 18, 2002

 

Stats: 565 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

The Little Princess
Upload a Photo | View All The Little Princess Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (565)

  • ajv2688
    September 20, 2010
    ajv2688
    I read the book when I was a kid, and saw the remake, and this movie was pretty good too. It could have been better, though.
  • xxdebxx
    July 12, 2010
    xxdebxx
    Shirley Temple plays a rich girl in an exclusive boarding school, whose father is suddenly killed in the British War. She becomes a pauper and the hateful headmistress has her stripped of all privileges and forces her to work in the kitchen to earn her keep. Temple refuses to bel... read moreieve her father is dead and searches the hospitals for him where she encounters Queen Victoria.
  • donnarenee2006
    November 2, 2008
    donnarenee2006
    Cute Shirley Temple movie. The movie was adorable and loved the part when she dumped Ashes on the snotty rich girl! haha. ;) A favorite of mine back in the day.
  • SunilJawahir
    June 2, 2008
    SunilJawahir
    I think it's hard not to like the Little Princess story. It's sweet and heartfelt and i've never seen a bad version of it.
  • trisarahtops22
    November 17, 2007
    trisarahtops22
    One of my favorite Shirley Temple movies of all time.
  • PhotoDork
    May 9, 2011
    PhotoDork
    I think this was the frist Shirley Temple movie that I watched when I was a little girl. Its still one of my favorites.
  • mochizukisan
    December 17, 2009
    mochizukisan
    There is no actor I've disliked watching more than young Shirley Temple. Skip this lame star vehicle and rent Alfonso Cuarón's lovely 1995 adaptation of the same book, "A Little Princess", instead.
  • phantopp
    September 15, 2009
    phantopp
    A soldier's daughter (Shirley Temple) is placed into an all-girls boarding school by her father (Ian Hunter), who is off to war.

    Because of her father's wealth, and her charm, she is immediately sent to the head of her class and treated like gold by the majority of those in th... read moree school. However, things turn for the worse months later when her father is reported killed in action.

    Now, the young miss refuses to believe that her beloved father was killed. She tries to keep all hope that her father is alive as those treat her wrong believing that she has lost all the money that supported her for most of her life.

    Let me say first, that this movie is not my usual cup of tea. Shirley Temple movies are usually for young girls, which I am obviously not. I will say right off the top that this is a B movie.

    Temple, in my opinion, is a legend in Hollywood, as she should be. However, she was not the perfect actress. She did a much better job than I expected her to have done in this film, but it did appear to me that she did have trouble saying a few lines. I don't know what it is, but sometimes it appears to me that struggles with a few lines. She sometimes appears to struggle getting her lines out, and the strain on her face to get the words to form is pretty evident.

    As for the rest of the cast, their performances were pretty good given what they were. For the most part, the supporting characters are not developed well at all. This is most evident with the older student who belittles "Sarah" (Temple). For the most part, she was used to throw insults at "Sarah", and talk behind her back. She is basically there for little to no reason except to annoy "Sarah." For the most part, she, as well as the other girls, are mainly there as background performers used to fill the scenes.

    We do get to see other characters a little bit more. But they are mostly used to advance the story -- some better than others.

    There is a subplot where two of the teachers have a romantic relationship. This is under developed due to the two characters being taken out of the story for a good chunk of the movie.

    The story itself drags along at a slow, boring pace for much of the movie. In these scenes, I thought the acting was very poor and boring.

    The wardrobes looked pretty authentic, but was nothing special for an early Technicolor movie. For the most part, clothing and sets were of darker hues. The main colors being grey and black. Temple's perky performance, which was a trademark of her in her movies, was basically the only thing bright.

    Shirley Temple movies were/are known to have some musical performances. In fact, she is known for tunes like "Animal Crackers in My Soup" and "The Good Ship Lolipop." Here we get two songs where are completely forgettable. And one of these songs gets an equally forgettable dance number.

    The only reason to see this is if you are a Temple fan -- and female. There was little to nothing for the male audience. We do get a tiny police chase on foot near the climax of the movie, but it's nothing like you would see in a movie now.

    However, believe it or not, I will recommend it. Providing you are renting it for your young, female child. If you have a young son, skip it.
  • donibscott
    September 15, 2009
    donibscott
    This old tear jerker never looses it's power to make me laugh and cry! What a talented little girl she was, and what an actress she became.
  • zudaheda
    September 13, 2009
    zudaheda
    beautiful story about never giving up, always keeping Hope & the special bond between a loyal loving girl & her devoted single-parent father who disappears while off @ battle.

View All The Little Princess Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
December 31, 2008
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Irresistible Shirley Temple showcase vehicle. Full Review

Steve Crum
October 23, 2004
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan

Heart tugging Temple with payoff ending

Ken Hanke
January 9, 2003
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Good Temple vehicle.

Bob Bloom
August 21, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Too sweetly cloying. Not one of little Shirley's best efforts.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

David Ansen
September 29, 2008
David Ansen, Newsweek

Click to read the article Full Review

March 25, 2006
New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 24, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Matt Easterbrook
November 6, 2003
Matt Easterbrook, Matt's Movie Reviews

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Secret Garden
    The Secret Garden (100%)
  • The Little Princess
    The Little Princess (100%)
  • The Secret Garden
    The Secret Garden (75%)
  • Wonderworks - A Little Princess
    Wonderworks - A Little Princess (100%)

More Movies like The Little Princess

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Little Prince... : Watch Free on TV

The Little Princess Trivia

  • Before directing the rather explicit film Y Tu Mama Tambien, Alfonso Cuaron directed which children's film?  Answer »
  • In what movie did a sea princess give up her voice to become human?  Answer »
  • A mermaid princess makes a faustian bargain with an unscrupulous seahag in order to meet a human prince on land.  Answer »
  • In which movie does a princess lose her voice to just be with someone she loves?  Answer »
More The Little Princess Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Little Princess. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Little Princess to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?