lugonian

(2012-04-30 05:55:59)

The Captain's Kid

CAPTAIN January (Fox, 1936), directed by David Butler, is prime ShirleyTemple in a formula story about an orphan named Star who is beingraised by Captain January (Guy Kibbee), a crusty old lighthouse keeperof Cape Tempest, Maine, after being rescued from a shipwreck that hasdrowned both her parents four years ago. All goes well until AgathaMorgan (Sara Haden), a new tyrant officer from Salem, who feels thatthe child isn't being reared properly, makes arrangements to take thechild away from him and have her placed in an institution.Based on the story by Laura E. Richards, CAPTAIN January is an updatedreworking to an earlier 1924 Principal Pictures 1924 silent versionstarring Baby Peggy, Hobart Bosworth and Irene Rich. As much as thisnew adaptation has the makings of a straight drama, due to Temple'smusical talents, and the support of a young hoofer named Buddy Ebsen(on loan from MGM), song numbers were inserted to give it some addedsparkle. With the score by Lew Pollack, Sidney Mitchell and JackYellen, songs include: "Early Bird" (sung by Shirley Temple); "TheCodfish Bowl" (sung and danced by Temple with Buddy Ebsen); a portionfrom "Lucia di Lammermoor" (an opera by Gaetana Donizetti, performed byTemple, Guy Kibbee and Slim Summerville) "The Right Somebody to Love"(sung by Temple/ and unseen chorus during dream sequence); "The RightSomebody to Love" (reprise by Temple) and "The Codfish Bowl" (sung byTemple, Kibbee and Summerville). With the exception of a dreamsequence, where singing is possible, all the other song numbers areinserted the story, with the music played by an off-screen orchestraright on cue. For the fade-in, it's morning and Kibbee places a recordplayer into Temple's bedroom. Temple awakens, stretches her arms intothe air and looking straight into the camera starts singing the openinglyrics of "Good Morning" which begins her opening number of "EarlyBird." She dances her way to the bathroom where she changes into hersailor clothes, and occasionally continues to look her way towards thecamera as she brushes her teeth. A little fake, but not as imaginativeas her next number, "The Codfish Bowl," displaying the dancing talentsof both Temple and Buddy Ebsen. This is performed on the docksurrounded by loafing seamen playing a harmonica and according beforethe hi-fi off-screen orchestration sets in. A show stopper that'sregrettable in not having Ebsen and Temple performing another one foran encore.The supporting cast consists of Jerry Tucker as Cyril Morgan; NellaWalker as Mary Mason; George Irving as John Mason; Harry Hayden as IraJ. Slocum; and James Farley as the Deputy Sheriff.While 20th Century-Fox might have used some of its own resident lovableold coots as Claude Gillingwater Sr., playing Captain January, forexample, the studio used Guy Kibbee from Warner Brothers, who, in thefinal product, proved to be the logical choice. Kibbee also makes amemorable over-sized baby with a bib sitting in the high chair in anamusing dream sequence with Temple acting as his nursemaid.Aside from some melodramatic scenes, including Temple crying for "Cap"as she is being being taken away by the officers after losing hisposition as lighthouse keeper, CAPTAIN January is equipped withamusements, the best being the exchanges between Guy Kibbee and theunderrated Slim Summerville as Captain Nazro, January's best friend,along with the middle-aged Eliza Croft (Jane Darwell), a rich widowwoman after the affections of January. Buddy Ebsen, years beforeimmortalized on television as Jed Clampett in THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES(1962-1971), supports as the loafer with a talent for dancing who findscompanionship with the local school teacher named Mary (June Lang).Their characters are essential to the plot, but both have little to do.The story relatively belongs to the trio of Temple, Kibbee andSummerville. Temple, who rarely gets a chance to share screen time with anotherchild actor of equal age status, does so this time with Cyril Morgan(Jerry Tucker), a precocious but obnoxious little boy with whom shefinds she has to compete in an entrance exam to enter the third grade.It so happens that Cyril happens to be the nephew of the woman whowants to take Star away from January. As much as the boy keeps tellingStar that she knows nothing, this equally precocious little girleventually displays how much she does know and more.CAPTAIN January, at 76 minutes, was one of the handful of feature filmsdisplayed in 1989 on Playhouse Video, a division of CBS/Fox Video, aspart of the Shirley Temple collection. With video transfersatisfactory, most important, it's complete, with the restoration ofthe closing cast credits to the underscoring to "The Codfish Bowl",usually cut from TV prints. In some local television markets(particulary the New York City area prior to 1976), the closing castcredits was substituted with a NTA (National Television Association)logo. When the Disney Cable Channel presented Shirley Temple movies inthe early 1990s, all of which were colorized, the closing cast creditswere included while prints for American Movie Classics (1996-2001) andlater, the Fox Movie Channel, in the original black and white format,eliminated the closing credits with an insertion of a THE END titlecard taken from another movie. FMC later had the closing creditsrestored. While the Shirley Temple collection from Playhouse Video hasbeen out of print, CAPTAIN January can also found colorized in both theVHS and DVD format.Regardless of format CAPTAIN January, is recommended viewing for adultsand youngsters alike, especially those who endure themselves withold-fashioned screen entertainment equipped with comedy, songs and atouch sentiment combined. (**1/2

jootes-garland

(2012-04-29 15:59:21)

What a sweetie!

I love this film -- one of the sweetest Shirley Temple's movies(allright, I'm always saying that). Shirley plays Star, an orphan found by Captain January(played by GuyKibbee), who is the guardian of a Light House. She loves her lifethere, but a bad 'officer' tries to take her away from him -- so shemust do a test in school for the third grade. Things get worse whenthey have to leave the light house. This film is perfect for watch with the kids. Of course, adults canlove it too. Shirley is sweet as always, singing and dancing,especially in "At the Codfish ball" and "The Right Somebody to love".Anyway, a very enjoyable movie with the great child-star ShirleyTemple, with a great cast of co-stars and a great humor!It's very funto watch!Lovely!

drystyx

(2012-04-28 17:07:26)

pretty awesome

I'm generally not big on Shirley Temple kid films, although she is agreat performer. This is one of her best films as a child.She is an orphan (isn't she always?) found at sea by an old lighthousekeeper. Among the lighthouse keeper's buddies are film legends SlimSummerville (sole survivor of "All Quiet on the Western Front") andBuddy Ebsen (surely everyone knows the original Tin Man and JedClampett).The film is probably best classified as comedy/drama/music. Although itwas made 75 years before the date of this review, 20 years before I wasborn, I have to admit, and I'm sure most honest people will admit, itis funnier, livelier, and more amusing than over half of the comediesmade since 1990.Why is that? Probably because at one time films were made with thepublic in mind, for the public, instead of vice versa.The film moves at a brisk pace, and seems like it takes only a fewminutes.Lots of mature, likable characters, but we do have a villain. SaraHaden would steal the show as Agatha Morgan, the one you love to hate,if not for the super performers abounding in the cast. As Agatha, Sarapresents a sort of sexuality underneath a vicious bark. Next to thegorgeous lead heroine, she blends into the background a bit. This wasone great actress.There is just about everything going for this work. We care about thecharacters, and our interest is kept throughout. Very engaging.

Franklin McAlister III

(2012-04-28 10:47:06)

This movie has a great happy ending

I like this movie because of how it has such a great happy ending. Withthe way that mean Truant officer wants to take little Shirley away fromthe people she has loved and known all her life it starts to look sadfor her. Then when one of the men finds out she has an Aunt and Unclestill alive and they come and claim her before that mean truant officercan take her away things start looking good. Then when she is sittingin her room at her Aunt and Uncle's house she is just sitting therestaring at the wooden doll that Captain Jaunary made for her. Then herAunt and Uncle realize they need to do something to cheer her up. Thenwhen they take her to a boat they have purchased and start showing heraround she says that she likes it but then she is in for the bigsurprise. When her Aunt and Uncle call out for the Captain of the boatright there is her old friend Captain January and she is so happy tosee him again. Then all of her other friends pop out as the crew! Rightthere is one of the only movies that the ending is so happy that everytime I see it or think about it my eyes bust into tears of joy for thatlittle girl.

Barry Lawson

(2012-04-27 19:24:56)

Very good movie

I have loved this movie since I first saw it in 1984. My favorite Templeflick. It is a good story and quite typical of the Shirley Temple moviesofthe time, but what stands out to me is the songs and innocence of theperiod.

Neil Doyle

(2012-04-27 12:34:08)

Shirley at her best...warm-hearted, solid entertainment...

This is the kind of film to make anyone a SHIRLEY TEMPLE fan. Here thelittle miss is once again an orphan but this time a kind-heartedlighthouse keeper (Guy Kibbe) is raising her as his own. Troubles comewhen the local schoolmarm decides Shirley needs a better education andupbringing.Shirley not only sings a couple of bright tunes, but has a big dancescene on the wharf with Buddy Ebsen--complete with intricate taps andall kinds of whirls as they dance to "At the Codfish Ball". This andher opening number "Early Bird" are among the film's most charmingroutines.Shirley gets emotional during the final tug of war where she is beingtorn away from the Cap, a crying scene that reveals just how deeplyfelt some of her performances were.Highly recommended.