Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Captain January (1936)*** (out of 4) Remake of the 1924 film has Shirley Temple taking over the role originally played by Baby Peggy. In the film she plays the feisty six-year-old Star who has been raised by Captain January (Guy Kibbee) ever since he found her after a shipwreck killed her parents. Their lives are perfect until a truancy officer (Sara Haden) shows up and tries to start trouble. CAPTAIN January is a step up from the original silent version thanks in large part to the terrific cast. With such an irresistible cast it's nearly impossible not to be entertained by this film no matter how predictable it gets. In regards to the predictability, there's certainly nothing here that's going to shock the viewer because it follows the original film fairly closely, although the truancy officer is something new here. In the original it was the girl's original family showing up that caused the problems. There's no way anyone won't see the ending here coming but it was quite good. The performances are really what makes this one worth watching with Temple and Kibbee doing a wonderful job together. There's no question that their chemistry is off the chart as the two really do come across as being very close and loving. Slim Summerville adds terrific support as the best friend and we get a young Buddy Ebsen in a small role and Jane Darwell is also great in her part. Most people remember Haden from the Andy Hardy series but she's downright perfect as the villain here and I'd say she's one of the most hated villains from any film during this era. You'll be wishing a painful torture to her character! CAPTAIN January, as I said, isn't original and it contains no big twists but it's sweet enough and features such a cast that it's pretty much irresistible.

Shirley Temple's films for Twentieth Century Fox aren't negligible because they're poorly-made (Darryl F. Zanuck supervised most of them, after all); they don't retain much of a "classic" stature among cinema aficionados mainly because they're weighed down with the syrupy optimism of Depression-era Hollywood. 1930s audiences were placated by the delight of seeing a dimply, often orphaned sunshine girl making the grown-ups look foolish by comparison (they fretted and wrung their hands while she danced her troubles away). Seen these many years later, Temple's vehicles barely get by on story (aided always by musical sequences to bolster the content), and her timing (always too-perfect) and exaggerated reactions might leave most modern viewers rolling their eyes. No one could possibly be blamed for their exasperation over Temple's performance here (shouting lines at the top of her lungs) or the perverseness of her dance steps, sashaying with a crowd of sailors to "At the Codfish Ball". Still, the fantasy aspect of this particular story, previously filmed in 1924 from the book by Laura E. Richard, is enough to captivate those in the proper saccharine spirit. Seems Shirl was pulled from a shipwreck by a government-appointed lighthouse keeper, but when a truant officer from the State Board finds out the tyke isn't in school, she threatens to take the kid away. It doesn't really matter if the prune-faced officer has a point that Temple isn't being raised properly (the woman is turned into the proverbial villainess almost immediately); one can see right away that Temple can hold her own, taking care of herself and her elderly guardian in the bargain (as well as the local widow who has her hooks in for the Captain). Temple isn't the only one overly-rehearsed; Guy Kibbee's January is cued for wide-eyed reactions so often you wonder if maybe if he didn't film them all in one day. The dialogue is steeped in waterfront metaphors ("You can't rush a trout!" ... "Well, don't give up the ship!), and something about the whole enterprise seems strangely pixilated. ** from ****

I love this film -- one of the sweetest Shirley Temple's movies(all right, I'm always saying that). Shirley plays Star, an orphan found by Captain January(played by Guy Kibbee), who is the guardian of a Light House. She loves her life there, but a bad 'officer' tries to take her away from him -- so she must do a test in school for the third grade. Things get worse when they have to leave the light house. This film is perfect for watch with the kids. Of course, adults can love 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 Shirley Temple, with a great cast of co-stars and a great humor!It's very fun to watch!Lovely!

Maybe the best all-around movie of Shirley's career in terms of the acting of the entire ensemble and a well-constructed script. Shirley tugs at your heartstrings, of course, but the story never strikes a false note. And some of the scenes of the lighthouse are magnificent. Watch this one with the entire family.