The Little Princess
Family
Westlake Media  (1939) 91 mins NR

7.1 (1,300 votes)
The adventure of a lifetime begins with a young girl's love and hope...

Based on Frances Hodson Burnett's popular children's book and stage play, this lavish Victorian drama features Shirley Temple in her first Technicolor film. The irresistibly charming Temple stars as Sara Crewe, a wealthy young girl who is enrolled at a prestigious boarding school while her father, Captain Reginald Crewe (Ian Hunter), is away in Africa fighting in the Boer War. After Sara receives news of her father's sudden death, the cruel and envious headmistress of the school, Amanda Minchin (Mary Nash), proceeds to make life miserable for the now penniless girl. Sara is forced to work in servitude in the school's kitchen, but deep in her heart she knows that her father is still alive. She soon escapes from Mrs. Minchin's clutches and begins the seemingly impossible search for the missing Captai...

Play Movie
Cast and Crew
Shirley Temple  ......  Sara Crewe
Cesar Romero  ......  Ram Dass, Lord Wickham's Indian Servant
Richard Greene  ......  Geoffrey Hamilton
Ian Hunter  ......  Captain Reginald Crewe
Anita Louise  ......  Rose Hamilton
Arthur Treacher  ......  Hubert 'Bertie' Minchin
Director  .....  Walter Lang; William A. Seiter
Producer  .....  Darryl F. Zanuck; Gene Markey
Writer  .....  Ethel Hill; Frances Hodgson Burnett
Notes
Trivia:
The full name of the book this movie is based on is "A Little Princess, Being the Whole Story of Sara Crewe Here Told For the First Time" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. (more)

Quotes:
[first lines]
Sara Crewe: Why are they sending so many soldiers, daddy, if it's only going to be a little war?
Captain Reginald Crewe: To make those stubborn Boers take us seriously this time, my darling. When they realize Her Majesty intends to put a stop to their nonsense, they'll quiet down.
Sara Crewe: They'd better. Anyhow, when you get there, you'll stop them. Won't you, daddy?
Captain Reginald Crewe: I'll do my best, dear.
(more)