Product Details

• Actors: Shirley Temple, Guy Kibbee, Slim Summerville, Buddy Ebsen, Sara Haden
• Directors: David Butler
• Writers: Don Marquis, Gladys Lehman, Harry Tugend, Laura E. Richard, Sam Hellman
• Producers: Buddy G. DeSylva
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301802519
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,707 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A 1936 vehicle for Shirley Temple, Captain January is actually a remake of a 1922 feature starring Baby Peggy Montgomery as an orphan informally adopted by the lighthouse keeper who rescues her from a storm. The Temple version, directed by David Butler, finds the little star playing a child named, well, Star, who is rescued and taken in by a salty old lighthouse-keeper known as Captain January (Guy Kibbee). Like a briny variation on Bret Harte's classic story, "The Luck of Roaring Camp," Captain January finds Star nurtured by a community of aging sailors who adore her, including her hoofer friend Paul (Buddy Ebsen), with whom Star sings and dances one of the most-beloved numbers from a Shirley Temple movie, "At the Codfish Ball." Star's fable-like paradise is disrupted by the appearance of a truant officer (Sara Haden), who determines the child isn't receiving proper schooling and overall care. That decision leads to a bit of conflict and despair, but with Temple wiggling, singing, and charming her way through her character's mostly enchanted circumstances, it's not hard to have faith in happy endings. The film is offered in both its original black-and-white presentation and in colorized form. Special features include a trailer and clips from Temple’s appearance at the presentation of a memorial to Will Rogers. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars AT THE CODFISH BALL WITH JED CLAMPETT!, October 28, 2001

By 

"scotsladdie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shirley Temple: Captain January [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A remake of a 1923 silent with the now-forgotten Baby Peggy, this is an amusing little Temple flick - one in which the little ones should enjoy. This was Shirley's initial 1936 release and it actually turned out to be one of her most fondly remembered movies. Based upon an 1890 novel entitled THE LIGHTHOUSE AT CAPE TEMPEST by Laura E. Richards, its the story of a poor foundling (how unusual for a Temple character!) named Star who is taken in by a kindly lighthouse keeper - the title character played by the talented Guy Kibbee. Shirley sings THE RIGHT SOMEBODY TO LOVE and her dance number with Buddy Ebsen is among her best while doing AT THE CODFISH BALL. During the filming of the latter's sequence, Temple had to climb a 45 foot stairway while a camera crane moved up beside her, catching her lines each time she turned on the stairs - timing the line exactly to the turn - Shirley never missed the synchronization once. Temple was easily the greatest asset the newly formed TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX had and this movie is quite a showcase for the little moppet. It's designed solely as its star's vehicle; Shirley appears in nearly every sequence: grinning, sobbing, dancing, singing, wriggling, pattering downstairs or spitting on her pinafore as the scenerio requires! The colourization process has improved substantially, so the kids won't complain about watching "old black and white movies"!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gets Me Everytime, June 26, 2003

By 

Tara Tagliaferro "Tara" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Captain January [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is probably one of the only films besides for some tear-jerking romance movies that gets me to break down in tears each time I watch it. Shirley Temple gives an excellent performance as Star, a pint-sized orphan living with her savior, Captain January, in a lighthouse on the shore. When Star is ripped out of Captain January's arms as the cold truant officer tries to put her in an institution (I know- these are a likely basis for Temple flicks but who cant love them!), I bawl everytime as she yells to the grief-stricken Cap- "What did I do? Why are they taking me away from you?" It is the sadest thing ever to see a little girl, especially Shirley, break down like that- it gets me everytime.
This movie is indeed a Temple memorable- most def. one of her classics. She shines in this movie- dances surely the best she can with Buddy Ebsen- and bestows this beautiful relationship with the old sea Cap. The cap and Star both take care of each other and it is adorable to watch on screen. The songs in this movie are very cute and any child or Shirley fan will love this movie. I highly recommed it being a major Shirley fan myself. I grew up with her big smile, her bright eyes, her tiny dimples, and her curly top- Shes a big part of my childhood memories. I wish their were movies more like these that exist now...

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST SEE, September 19, 2003

By 

Emmy M "billmcbill2" (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captain January [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a very good movie! I am a Shirley Temple fan, but I think that even if you are not, you will still love this movie! Shirley plays Star, a child that was in a ship wreck and was found by Captain January, a lighthouse keeper. There is an evil truant officer who is trying to take Star away from "Cap". This movie has something for everyone. It has a lot of really funny parts, but it also has a very good plot. There are some good songs in the movie, such as,"At the Codfish Ball","Early Bird",and "The Right Somebody To Love". This is a very good movie, A must see for anyone!